Kug Sun Hong

Highly efficient and bending durable perovskite solar cells: toward a wearable power source

Perovskite solar cells are promising candidates for realizing an efficient, flexible, and lightweight energy supply system for wearable electronic devices. For flexible perovskite solar cells, achieving high power conversion efficiency (PCE) while using a low-temperature technology for the fabrication of a compact charge collection layer is a critical issue. Herein, we report on a flexible perovskite solar cell exhibiting 12.2% PCE as a result of the employment of an annealing-free, 20 nm thick, amorphous, compact TiOx layer deposited by atomic layer deposition. The excellent performance of the cell was attributed to fast electron transport, verified by time-resolved photoluminescence and impedance studies. The PCE remained the same down to 0.4 sun illumination, as well as to a 45° tilt to incident light. Mechanical bending of the devices worsened device performance by only 7% when a bending radius of 1 mm was used. The devices maintained 95% of the initial PCE after 1000 bending cycles for a bending radius of 10 mm. Degradation of the device performance by the bending was the result of crack formation from the transparent conducting oxide layer, demonstrating the potential of the low-temperature-processed TiOx layer to achieve more efficient and bendable perovskite solar cells, which becomes closer to a practical wearable power source.

MICROWAVE DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES AND APPLICATIONS OF RARE-EARTH ALUMINATES

Rare-earth aluminates, LnAlO 3 (Ln = Dy, Er, Gd, La, Nd, Pr, Sm, and Y) were prepared using the mixed oxide method, and their microwave dielectric properties were examined at X-band. Most rare-earth aluminates have suitable permittivities and quality factors for applications as dielectric resonators, but a modification of τ f is necessary due to the coefficients large negative value. When considering dielectric properties and lattice matching, YalO 3 rather than LaAlO 3 , was suggested as a promising substrate material for microstrip antennas utilizing high-temperature superconductor thin films. Rare-earth aluminates with a rhombohedral structure exhibited larger permittivities than those with an orthorhombic structure. This difference was attributed to the difference in ionic size and coordination number. It was demonstrated that a nonzero magnetic susceptibility of rare-earth aluminates has an adverse effect on their quality factor. An abrupt variation in the temperature coefficient of permittivity was discussed in terms of oxygen octrahedra tilting.

An improvement in sintering property of β-tricalcium phosphate by addition of calcium pyrophosphate

The sintering behavior of calcium pyrophosphate (CPP, Ca2P2O7)-doped beta-tricalcium phosphate [TCP, Ca3(PO4)2], prepared by solid state reaction, was investigated in-situ, using dilatometry. Pure beta-TCP undergoes phase transition to alpha-TCP at about 1200 degrees C; hence pure beta-TCP ceramics should be sintered bclow 1200 degrees C. Pure beta-TCP sintered body can achieve a relative density of only 86% when sintered at 1150 degrees C. However, the addition of CPP in the range of 0.5-3 wt% delays phasc transition of beta-TCP and enables sintering of beta-TCP at 1200 degrees C without a phase transformation to alpha-TCP. Due to this effect of CPP added to TCP, CPP-doped beta-TCP ceramics with relative density over 95% could be obtained when sintered at 1200 degrees C for 2 h.

Dielectric Properties of AB2O6 Compounds at Microwave Frequencies (A=Ca, Mg, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn, and B=Nb, Ta).

The microwave dielectric properties of AB2O6 compounds, where A=Ca, Mg, Mn, Co, Ni, or Zn, and B=Nb or Ta, were investigated. All samples were prepared using the mixed oxide method. In particular, AB2O6 compounds with Mg2+ and Zn2+ revealed very good dielectric properties with respect to dielectric resonator applications. However, their temperature coefficient of resonant frequencies should be modified. It was found that the electronegativity of AB2O6 compounds is relevant to their dielectric constant. The temperature coefficient of resonant frequency was discussed in terms of volume contraction.

Dielectric properties of Ln(Mg 1/2 Ti 1/2 )O 3 as substrates for high-T c superconductor thin films

Ln(Mg 1/2 Ti 1/2 )O 3 (Ln = Dy, La, Nd, Pr, Sm, Y) compositions have been prepared, and their pertinent properties for use as thin film substrates for YBa 2 Cu 3 O x (YBCO) were measured. X-ray diffraction shows that Ln(Mg 1/2 Ti 1/2 )O 3 compositions have noncubic symmetry and the GdFeO 3 -type structure. Dielectric constant measurements revealed values between 22 and 27, which are larger than those of the LnAlO 3 family. Quality factor (=1/ tan δ) of the ceramic specimens measured at room temperature was larger than 3000 at 10 GHz. Among the compounds, La(Mg 1/2 Ti 1/2 )O 3 exhibited the highest dielectric constant and the lowest dielectric loss. Chemical reaction was observed between Ln(Mg 1/2 Ti 1/2 )O 3 (Ln = Dy, Sm, Y) and YBCO after annealing a 1 : 1 mixture at 950 °C. Considering dielectric and physical properties, La(Mg 1/2 Ti 1/2 )O 3 and Sm(Mg 1/2 Ti 1/2 )O 3 were determined to be suitable substrates for YBCO thin film used in microwave applications.

General Strategy for Fabricating Transparent TiO2 Nanotube Arrays for Dye-Sensitized Photoelectrodes: Illumination Geometry and Transport Properties

We report on the preparation of transparent oriented titania nanotube (NT) photoelectrodes and the effect of illumination direction on light harvesting, electron transport, and recombination in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) incorporating these electrodes. High solar conversion efficiency requires that the incident light enters the cell from the photoelectrode side. However, it has been synthetically challenging to prepare transparent TiO(2) NT electrodes by directly anodizing Ti metal films on transparent conducting oxide (TCO) substrates because of the difficulties of controlling the synthetic conditions. We describe a general synthetic strategy for fabricating transparent TiO(2) NT films on TCO substrates. With the aid of a conducting Nb-doped TiO(2) (NTO) layer between the Ti film and TCO substrate, the Ti film was anodized completely without degrading the TCO. The NTO layer was found to protect the TCO from degradation through a self-terminating mechanism by arresting the electric field-assisted dissolution process at the NT-NTO interface. The illumination direction and wavelength of the light incident on the DSSCs were shown to strongly influence the incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency, light-harvesting, and charge-collection properties, which, in turn, affect the photocurrent density, photovoltage, and solar energy conversion efficiency. Effects of NT film thickness on the properties and performance of DSSCs were also examined. Illuminating the cell from the photoelectrode substantially increased the conversion efficiency compared with illuminating it from the counter-electrode side.

Photocatalysis and hydrophilicity of doped TiO2 thin films

TiO(2) thin films were prepared using the dip-coating method with a polymeric sol including additives such as Al, W, and Al+W to examine two major properties: photocatalysis and hydrophilicity. W-doped films showed the best photocatalytic efficiency, while Al-doped film was poorer than undoped samples. However, good hydrophilicity in terms of saturation contact angle and surface conversion rate was found in Al- and (Al+W)-mixed-doped films. It was found that deep electron-hole traps and high surface acidity of W-doped TiO(2) thin film were the major factors in high photocatalytic efficiency. In addition, low surface acidities of Al- and (Al+W)-doped films provided better hydrophilicity than W-doped ones. However, the amount of [Ti(3+)] point defects on the surface was another major factor, probably the most important, in getting the best hydrophilicity. Conclusively, it seemed that many parts of the photocatalysis mechanism depend more on bulk-related properties than do those of hydrophilicity, which can be defined as an interfacial (surface) or near-surface-restricted process.

Improved Quantum Efficiency of Highly Efficient Perovskite BaSnO3-Based Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Ternary oxides are potential candidates as an electron-transporting material that can replace TiO₂ in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), as their electronic/optical properties can be easily controlled by manipulating the composition and/or by doping. Here, we report a new highly efficient DSSC using perovskite BaSnO₃ (BSO) nanoparticles. In addition, the effects of a TiCl₄ treatment on the physical, chemical, and photovoltaic properties of the BSO-based DSSCs are investigated. The TiCl₄ treatment was found to form an ultrathin TiO₂ layer on the BSO surface, the thickness of which increases with the treatment time. The formation of the TiO₂ shell layer improved the charge-collection efficiency by enhancing the charge transport and suppressing the charge recombination. It was also found that the TiCl₄ treatment significantly reduces the amount of surface OH species, resulting in reduced dye adsorption and reduced light-harvesting efficiency. The trade-off effect between the charge-collection and light-harvesting efficiencies resulted in the highest quantum efficiency (i.e., short-circuit photocurrent density), leading to the highest conversion efficiency of 5.5% after a TiCl₄ treatment of 3 min (cf. 4.5% for bare BSO). The conversion efficiency could be increased further to 6.2% by increasing the thickness of the BSO film, which is one of the highest efficiencies from non-TiO₂-based DSSCs.

Low-temperature firing and microwave dielectric properties of BaTi4O9 with Zn-B-O glass system

The effect of Zn-B-O (ZB) glass additions on the sintering temperature and microwave dielectric properties of BaTi4O9 has been investigated using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, dilatometry and electrical characterization. It was found that the addition of small amount of glass to BaTi4O9 lowered the sintering temperature to ∼900°C while maintaining good microwave properties. In sintered samples with ZB glass, plate-like abnormal grains (∼5 μm) were observed. ZB glass heat-treated at 900°C for 2 h was crystallized to Zn(BO2)2 and Zn3(BO3)2, which coincides with second phases detected in low-temperature fired BaTi4O9. Thus it can be concluded that there is a negligible reaction forming other second phases between BaTi4O9 and ZB glass. BaTi4O9 ceramics sintered at 900°C for 2 h had good microwave dielectric properties: relative dielectric constant (er) = 33, quality factor (Qxf) = 27000, and temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (τf) = 7 ppm/°C.

Phase transitions and dielectric properties in A-site ion substituted (Na1/2Bi1/2)TiO3 ceramics (A=Pb and Sr)

The dielectric permittivity of A-site ion substituted (Na1/2Bi1/2)TiO3(A=Pb,Sr) solid solutions has been investigated with the aid of structural analysis. As the addition of PT increased, the first order characteristics of the phase transition appeared. In contrast, additions of ST made the solid solution exhibit relaxor ferroelectrics behavior. Microscopic structural analysis revealed that the dielectric properties were determined by cation ordering which controlled the translational symmetry and domain configuration. In the NBT–PT solid solution, A-site cations were randomly redistributed and macrodomains formed. However, the addition of ST distributed A-site cations with local ordering and divided the domains of NBT into micropolar regions. The contrasting effects of the addition of the Pb and Sr cations on the dielectric properties of NBT are discussed in terms of the polarizability and the tolerance factors as they relate to the perovskite structure.