Pnictogen-based semiconductors for Harvesting EneRgy from Ambient Light to power autonomous Devices (HERALD)
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Oxford
Department Name: Oxford Chemistry
Abstract
HERALD aims to instigate a step-change in how smart devices are powered by developing new classes of pnictogen-based semiconductors to more efficiently collect the widely-available energy from lighting inside buildings. Such energy can be renewably harvested with indoor photovoltaics (IPV), which is highly appealing for powering the billions of autonomous smart devices driving the fourth industrial revolution. However, industry-standard IPV (hydrogenated amorphous silicon; a-Si:H) have efficiencies up to only ~20%, with most commercial devices <10% efficient.
HERALD will develop IPV from novel classes of rudorffites and chalcohalides, which have potential to reach >48% efficiency under indoor lighting. These are low-toxicity, high-stability materials based on the pnictogens bismuth and antimony, and their considerable potential for indoor light harvesting is just starting to emerge. HERALD will transform these novel compounds into leading IPV using a hierarchical characterisation approach, from the macro- to near-atomic-scale. Along the way, fundamental understanding will be gained to learn what the performance-limiting factors are and how they can be systematically mitigated. The endpoint will be high-performing, durable test devices with low environmental impact. The materials will be rapidly grown at scale using a novel plasma-spray technique, and the IPV prototyped in commercial smart devices.
The pnictogen-based IPV developed can have a transformative impact on smart devices by decreasing their reliance on being powered only by batteries, which need to be regularly replaced, creating significant waste. The new IPV can be deployed without harming the environment and will harvest more power than a-Si:H IPV to sustain smart devices with more advanced capabilities. The pioneering development of pnictogen-based semiconductors will also push them forward for numerous PV, from clean solar fuel production to radiation detection for medical imaging.
HERALD will develop IPV from novel classes of rudorffites and chalcohalides, which have potential to reach >48% efficiency under indoor lighting. These are low-toxicity, high-stability materials based on the pnictogens bismuth and antimony, and their considerable potential for indoor light harvesting is just starting to emerge. HERALD will transform these novel compounds into leading IPV using a hierarchical characterisation approach, from the macro- to near-atomic-scale. Along the way, fundamental understanding will be gained to learn what the performance-limiting factors are and how they can be systematically mitigated. The endpoint will be high-performing, durable test devices with low environmental impact. The materials will be rapidly grown at scale using a novel plasma-spray technique, and the IPV prototyped in commercial smart devices.
The pnictogen-based IPV developed can have a transformative impact on smart devices by decreasing their reliance on being powered only by batteries, which need to be regularly replaced, creating significant waste. The new IPV can be deployed without harming the environment and will harvest more power than a-Si:H IPV to sustain smart devices with more advanced capabilities. The pioneering development of pnictogen-based semiconductors will also push them forward for numerous PV, from clean solar fuel production to radiation detection for medical imaging.
Publications
Grandhi G
(2023)
Wide-Bandgap Perovskite-Inspired Materials: Defect-Driven Challenges for High-Performance Optoelectronics
in Advanced Functional Materials
Dudipala K
(2023)
Halide Perovskites and their Derivatives for Efficient, High-Resolution Direct Radiation Detection: Design Strategies and Applications
in Advanced Materials
Guo X
(2023)
Air-stable bismuth sulfobromide (BiSBr) visible-light absorbers: optoelectronic properties and potential for energy harvesting
in Journal of Materials Chemistry A
Zhu H
(2024)
Progress and applications of (Cu-)Ag-Bi-I semiconductors, and their derivatives, as next-generation lead-free materials for photovoltaics, detectors and memristors
in International Materials Reviews
Liu S
(2024)
Data-Driven Controlled Synthesis of Oriented Quasi-Spherical CsPbBr3 Perovskite Materials.
in Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)
| Description | Henry Royce Institute Industrial Collaboration Programme |
| Amount | £153,713 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ICP002 (EPSRC reference no: EP/X527257/1) |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2022 |
| End | 03/2023 |
| Description | John Fell Fund |
| Amount | £71,984 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | DPD00380 |
| Organisation | University of Oxford |
| Department | Department of Chemistry |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2023 |
| End | 12/2023 |
| Description | Welcome Grant |
| Amount | £12,491 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Oxford |
| Department | St John's College Oxford |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2023 |
| End | 12/2023 |
| Title | Air-stable bismuth sulfobromide (BiSBr) visible-light absorbers: optoelectronic properties and potential for energy harvesting |
| Description | The dataset includes the experimental data record as well as calculation (DFT) data |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | This contained the experimental data behind the paper we wrote on investigating the potential of BiSBr for indoor photovoltaics (X. Guo, Y.-T. Huang, H. Lohan, J. Ye, Y. Lin, J. Lim, N. Gauriot, S. J. Zelewski, D. Darvill, H. Zhu, A. Rao, I. McCulloch, R. L. Z. Hoye,* Air-Stable Bismuth Sulfobromide (BiSBr) Visible-Light Absorbers: Optoelectronic Properties and Potential for Energy Harvesting. Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 2023, 11, 22775-22785.) In this work, we developed the synthesis of phase-pure BiSBr, and analysed the optical and electronic properties of this material, as well as its charge-carrier lifetime. We found that this material, which has had very few prior investigations into solar cells, holds promise for investigations for indoor photovoltaics that warrants further work. |
| URL | https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:2b1a6c66-2db9-4262-a827-9b2f6bde4f81 |
| Description | Collaboration on advanced characterisation of solar absorbers |
| Organisation | University of Strathclyde |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We provided the novel materials to investigate, as well as the hypotheses. In this case, the materials are Ag-Bi-I semiconductors. We developed the route to synthesise these materials phase pure. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The group of Dr. Fabien Massabuau at the University of Strathclyde have expertise in advanced materials characterisation, namely EBIC, cathodoluminescence spectroscopy and EBSD measurements, as well as wavelength-dispersive X-ray spectrometery. These measurements have provided important information on the variations in the optoelectronic properties of our materials spatially. In addition, with Dr. Massabuau, we secured a postdoctoral fellow through the Energy for Future scheme, backed by the Marie Curie scheme. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwi30IGvqfKEAxWJXUEAHeZVCIEQFnoECB4QAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Feuropeanenergyforfuture.com%2F&usg=AOvVaw3B6Y7_PpWZl-_3ACTe2Iaa&opi=89978449 This position is filled by Dr. Huimin Zhu, who is officially hosted at the University of Strathclyde, but is also a visitor at the University of Oxford working with Prof. Hoye. Dr. Zhu has been working in Oxford on optimising the preparation of Ag-Bi-I thin films and devices. |
| Impact | H. Zhu,* I. Turkevych,* H. Lohan, P. Liu, R. W. Martin, F. C. P. Massabuau, R. L. Z. Hoye.* Progress and applications of (Cu-)Ag-Bi-I semiconductors, and their derivatives, as next-generation lead-free materials for photovoltaics, detectors and memristors. International Materials Reviews, 2024, 69 (1), 19-62. DOI: 10.1177/09506608231213065 This is an invited review paper on Cu-Ag-Bi-I semiconductors for optoelectronic applications, and captures the current state of the area we are working on together through this collaboration. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Collaboration on developing CZTS indoor photovoltaics |
| Organisation | Polytechnic University of Catalonia |
| Country | Spain |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We brought forward a new application space for CZTS solar absorbers. Historically, this material was used for outdoor photovoltaics. Hoye recognised the potential of this material for indoor light harvesting and hosted a visiting PhD student to work on developing a new device architecture to make these devices more suitable for applications in powering IoT. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Prof. Edgardo Saucedo's group has expertise in CZTS solar absorber fabrication, and has developed an optimised solution processing route for outdoor photovoltaics. This provided an ideal starting point for Prof. Hoye's group to begin investigating this material for indoor light harvesting. |
| Impact | Prof. Hoye has hosted a PhD student (Ivan Caño-Prades) from Prof. Saucedo's group to initiate the collaboration. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Co-organising symposium at 2023 Spring MRS Meeting & Exhibit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Hoye co-organised with partners from the US and Netherlands a symposium at the 2023 Spring MRS Meeting & Exhibit (San Francisco, USA) on stable perovskite optoelectronics. This spans from fundamental investigations through to the applications of these materials in devices and strategies taken to improve stability. This is critically important for not only outdoor photovoltaics but also indoor photovoltaics. Prof. Hoye also organised the sponsorship of a prize at this symposium, supported by Oxford Photovoltaics. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.mrs.org/meetings-events/spring-meetings-exhibits/past-spring-meetings/2023-mrs-spring-me... |
| Description | Talk at London International Science Youth Forum |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | I was invited to give a specialists talk on photovoltaics at the London International Science Youth Forum. This is a prestigious STEM outreach event that takes place each year, located at Imperial College London. I spoke about my research on developing novel materials for indoor light harvesting, as part of this project, and this inspired students to think more broadly about the exciting opportunities of photovoltaics. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Talk at STEM Ambassador's event hosted by Royal Academy of Engineering |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The Royal Academy of Engineering organises workshops to train their STEM Ambassadors to engage with their outreach mission to raise the profile of engineering nationally. I delivered a talk to inspire them and share my experience as a STEM Ambassador. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Visit to Eton College |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Hoye was invited to give an outreach talk to the scientific society of Eton College. He discussed with them his research into sustainable materials and future technologies for green energy harvesting for producing clean electricity or fuels. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |