cfaed Distinguished Lecture Series

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cfaed Distinguished Lecture Series

Prof. Michael Grätzel , EPF Lausanne, CH

Nanocrystalline junctions and mesoscopic solar cells

26.03.2015 (Thursday) , 18:00 - 19:30
TU Dresden, Festsaal Dülferstraße (Alte Mensa) , Dülferstraße 1 , 01069 Dresden

Pro. Michael Grätzel

Abstract

Mesoscopic solar cells have emerged as credible contenders to conventional p-n junction photovoltaics [1,2]. Separating light absorption from charge carrier transport, dye sensitized solar cells (DSCs) were the first to use three-dimensional nanocrystalline junctions for solar electricity production, reaching currently a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 13% in standard air mass 1.5 sunlight. Large-scale production and commercial sales have meanwhile been launched on the multi-megawatt scale. Recently we witnessed the meteoric rise of metal halide perovskites such as CH3NH3PbI3 as powerful light harvesters [3,4]. Carrier diffusion lengths in the micron range have been measured for solution-processed perovskites [5],which now attain a certified PCE of 20.1%. Perovskite-based mesoscopic photosystem that mimic natural photosynthesis in generating fuels from sunlight [6] will also be presented.

Prof. Michael Grätzel received the Millennium Technology Prize for development of dye-sensitized solar cells.

Venue: TU Dresden, Chemistry Building, Bergstrasse 66, lecture theatre CHE S89
Time: 17:30 (tbc!)

Short CV

Professor at the Ecole Polytechnique de Lausanne Professor Michael Grätzel directs there the Laboratory of Photonics and Interfaces. He pioneered use of mesoscopic materials and their use in energy conversion systems, in particular photovoltaic cells and photo-electrochemical devices for solar generation of chemical fuels as well as lithium ions batteries. He discovered a new type of solar cell based on sensitized nanocrystaline oxide junctions, which has engendered perovskite photovoltaics, one of the most exciting developments in solar energy conversion. His most recent awards include the 2014 Samson Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation in Alternative Fuels, the Leigh-Ann Conn Prize in Renewable Energy, the Marcel Benoist Prize, the Albert Einstein World Award of Science, the Paul Karrer Gold Medal, the Balzan Prize and the 2010 Millennium Technology Grand Prize.. He received a doctoral degree in Natural Science from the Technical University Berlin and was awarded honorary doctor’s degrees from 10 European and Asian Universities. He is a member of the Swiss Chemical Society and the German National Academy of Science (Leopoldina), a Fellow of the European Academy of Science and a Max Planck Fellow as well as Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK), the Bulgarian Academy of Science and the Société Vaudoise de Sciences Naturelles. Author of over 1300 publications and inventor of 60 patents he is with some 150’000 citations and an h–index of 176 one of the  most highly cited scientists in the world.

 

References

  1. M. Grätzel, Nature 414, 338 (2001).
  2. A. Yella, H.-W. Lee, H. N. Tsao, C. Yi, A.Kumar Chandiran, Md.K. Nazeeruddin, EW-G .Diau,,C.-Y Yeh, S. M. Zakeeruddin and M. Grätzel  Science 629, 334 (2011).
  3. M. Grätzel, Nature Materials
  4. J. Burschka, N. Pellet, S.-J. Moon, R.Humphry-Baker, P. Gao1, M K. Nazeeruddin  and M. Grätzel, Nature 499, 316-319 (2013).
  5. G.C Xing, N.,Mathews, S.Y. Sun, S.S. Lim, Y.M., Lam, M Grätzel., N., S. Mhaisalkar a T.C.. Sun, Science 342, 344_347 (2013).
  6. J. Luo, J.-H. Im, M.T. Mayer, M. Schreier, Md.K. Nazeeruddin, N.-G. Park, S.D.Tilley, H.J. Fan, M. Grätzel, Science, 345, 1593-1596. (2014).

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