Environmental-friendly and highly efficient perovskite solar cells

POLONEZ BIS -1

Principal Investigator:

Dr Silver Hamill Turren Cruz

shturren@ichf.edu.pl

Kasprzaka 44/52

01-224 Warsaw

Building 3, Room W09A

Project description:

World׳s energy demand is growing fast because of population explosion and technological advancements. It is therefore important to go for reliable, cost effective and everlasting renewable energy source for energy demand arising in future. Solar energy, among other renewable sources of energy, is a promising and freely available energy source for managing long term issues in energy crisis. Fighting climate change demands a boost in the development of renewable energies. The rapid emergence of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) as a viable new thin film photovoltaic (PV) technology has been remarkable. The unprecedented combination of high-power conversion efficiency (PCE) and potential low cost has been driving the intense PSC research endeavors worldwide. As with their analogs silicon and cadmium telluride solar cells, perovskite solar cells can convert the energy of the solar light directly into electric power with the highest efficiency. In addition to established technologies, halide perovskites are prepared from inexpensive materials, which are compatible with highly productive deposition methods. The highest certified efficiency for a single perovskite device is 25.5%, which makes halide perovskites newly discovered photovoltaic materials with the potential to provide a disruptive new solar cell technology. In addition, perovskites appear also as promising material for many efficient optoelectronic devices i.e., LEDs and memories. perovskites with the 3D structure ABX₃ (e.g., A: MA= CH₃NH₃⁺, FA= CH₃(NH₂)₂⁺ or Cs⁺, B: Pb²⁺, X: I^- or Br^-) remain the most efficient compounds for use as solar absorbers and extensive efforts are underway to search alternative Pb-free compounds with promising properties. Unfortunately, at this moment PSCs fabricated with Pb-free perovskites exhibit limited efficiency and the development of appropriate compounds with good optical and transport properties as well as high stability is not a straightforward task that this project will face. Searching for alternative perovskites that are Pb-free and non-toxic is a promising research direction. The overall goal of this project is to develop a new type of 3D double perovskites (DHPs) with a structure of A₂TiX₆, which appears as promising Pb-free materials for solar cells application. Here, titanium (Ti) is in its stable Ti⁴⁺ oxidation state and Cs₂TiX₆ is expected to possess very high tolerance to the environmental stresses with a reported experimental tunable bandgap, and this class of compounds could be also appropriate for tandem devices. Ti⁴⁺ is also earth-abundant, non-toxic, and biocompatible. So far, only few investigations have been carried out with the application of Cs₂TiX₆ in solar cells, due to the difficulties of synthesis from purely solution methods, where we go to solve two integrate a new technique to process it i.e., mechanosynthesized perovskites and quantum dots. While perovskite solar cells are revolutionizing the photovoltaic field the Pb content, and their stability are the major drawbacks for the implantation of this technology. While Sn-based perovskite solar cells are experiencing and important performance improvement in the last days, development of Ti-based perovskite solar cells will provide important clues of new materials for photovoltaic applications, key aspect for the de material science development in this field, contributing to the ultimate prediction and application of materials with lower environmental impact formed with earth abundant materials. The methodology developed for perovskite synthesis and fabrication will also benefit the chemistry and engineering of device preparation, while its characterization will be determinant to define the physical insight of a new family of photovoltaic materials. Beyond the scientific impact, and economic and technological impact is also expected. The development of efficient, safe, stable and more sustainable solar cells is extremely timely in the current context where energy consumption sources are experiencing a non-return trip to renewable energy where photovoltaic energy is call to play a key role as more abundant energy source.

Project Location:

Institute of Physical Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences

Research group no. 26, Semiconducting Materials and Optoelectronic Devices

https://ichf.edu.pl/en/groups/semiconducting-materials-and-optoelectronic-devices

The research topics of the Research group no. 26 focus on the fabrication and physicochemical characterization of laboratory solar cells and photodetectors based on halide perovskites.

Publications:

1. Jeronimo-Rendon et al., *Advanced Functional Materials* (2024), DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202313928
2. Reyes-Francis et al., *Chemistry of Materials* (2024), DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.3c03108
3. Turren-Cruz et al., *ACS Energy Letters* (2024), DOI: 10.1021/acsenergylett.3c02426
4. Rodriguez-Perez et al., *ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces* (2024), DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c20462
5. Jeronimo-Rendon et al., *EES Solar* (2025), DOI: 10.1039/D4EL00018H
6. Reyes-Francis et al., *ChemSusChem* (2025), DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202402073

Dissemination

The dissemination of project outcomes was conducted through multiple international scientific conferences and public engagement activities to ensure both academic visibility and societal outreach.

Scientific community

MATSUS Spring 2024

35th International Photovoltaic Science and Engineering Conference (PVSEC-35)

32nd International Materials Research Congress

A4 Advances in Perovskite Materials and Optoelectronics

Key Achievements

Successful development of Ti-based double perovskite thin films (A₂TiX₆) with mixed cations and halides using both solution and mechanochemical synthesis.
Synthesis and optimization of lead-free Ti-based perovskite
Fabrication and testing of perovskite solar cell devices (n i p architectures), achieving reproducible results.
Demonstration of improved material stability under controlled conditions of temperature, humidity, and illumination.
Strengthened international collaborations and the transfer of synthesis and characterization expertise to the host institution.

Impact and Knowledge Transfer

The FriendlyPerSol project advanced materials science and photovoltaic research by introducing a sustainable route to lead-free perovskites. It strengthened the host institution s capabilities in mechanochemical synthesis, quantum dot fabrication, and solar device engineering. Furthermore, the work fostered collaborations with international research groups in Spain and Germany, enhancing scientific visibility and paving the way for future joint projects. Knowledge transfer activities included new protocols for device fabrication, solvent optimization, and data sharing.

Industrial Secondment

In February 2025, Dr. Turren Cruz completed a one-month secondment at Perosol Start-up in Stuttgart, Germany, focused on the industrial fabrication of perovskite solar cells. The experience provided direct exposure to scalable manufacturing processes, quality control, and technology transfer pathways. It bridged the gap between academic research and industrial practice, contributing to the PI s development as an independent researcher and innovator in sustainable photovoltaics.

Open Data

All datasets generated during the project are available in open-access repositories with CC0 licenses, including:
DOI: 10.18150/PH6C7O Cs₂TiBr₆ perovskite synthesis
DOI: 10.18150/2LRBQD Multi-halide perovskite solar cells
DOI: 10.18150/8CI3CH Tin lead perovskite solar cells
DOI: 10.18150/C0VJJZ High coordination-solvent bathing method
DOI: 10.18150/ACQSMY Microwave-synthesized Cs₂SnxTi₁₋xBr₆
DOI: 10.18150/FA3M36 Interface-modified methylammonium-free perovskites

Project news:

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This research is part of the project No. 2021/43/P/ST5/01780 co-funded by the National Science Centre and the European Union s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sk odowska-Curie grant agreement No. 945339.