Low Weight, Flexible and Low Cost Solar Cells Technologies Based on Metal Oxides, Dyes, Polymers and Perovskite materials
A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 September 2020)
Special Issue Editor
Interests: mathematical modelling, computer simulation, synthesis, characterization of advanced nanomaterials with particular emphasis on third and fourth generation solar cells and fuel cells; low weight, flexible and low cost solar cell technologies based on metal oxides, dyes, polymers and perovskite materials; computational and experimental studies on advanced nanomaterials for clean energy and health applications; energy policies; energy management
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The evolution of solar cell technology shows that there is potential with the emerging solar cell technologies to replace the commercial market dominating silicon technology in the near future. The emerging solar cell technologies include dye-sensitized solar cells, quantum dot solar cells, organic photovoltaics, perovskite solar cells and the not fully understood graphene-based solar cells, and all of them have the prospect of value, developing applicability between photovoltaic materials and technology. Among these emerging solar cell technologies, perovskite-based solar cells have exhibited record cell efficiencies that are considerably higher than those of typical commercial crystalline silicon solar cells. These new technologies have the potential for optimization in photovoltaic technology and thus to reduce the production cost. Dye-sensitized (DSSCs) and organic solar cells (OSCs) have lower efficiencies than conventional silicon cells, but they have the advantage that they can be manufactured at low cost. Dye sensitized solar cells are even capable of working efficiently under diffused light conditions. Quantum dot solar cells (QDSSCs), which can also be called multiple-exciton-generation-based cells, have a tunable band gap as their strength, which determines the nature of the solar energy they absorb. Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are primarily lead-halide based cells, and their recent advances show that significant improvements have taken place in performance, exhibiting a record laboratory efficiency of over 20%. The rate at which efficiency increase has taken place within the short time from their introduction into solar photovoltaics shows that perovskites hold the record for fastest rate-of-efficiency increase among all other emerging PV technologies. Even though perovskite solar cells have recorded an enviable efficiency, their stability is a challenge which has to be addressed suitably if they are to become a strong contender in the commercial market.
In addition to working with materials directly, the use of modern simulation tools to model and study the materials prior to their actual synthesis will help to understand the behavior and characteristics of the material under real working conditions. Additionally, the simulation of materials along with experimental study will contribute to a better understanding of their photovoltaic characteristics and also help to improve the device performance.
The goal of this Issue is to consider new methods and approaches to tackle the challenges in realizing lightweight, low-cost, stable and efficient solar cell technologies based on metal oxides, dyes, polymers and perovskite materials.
Prof. Dhayalan Velauthapillai
Guest Editor
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