nanoGe - HOPV15 - Pb-based versus Sn-based perovskite solar cells

Pb-based versus Sn-based perovskite solar cells - Toxicity and environmental burden

Aslihan Babayigit^a, Bert Conings^a, Hans-Gerd Boyen^a, Anitha Ethirajan^a, Jean Manca^b, Marc Müller^c, Dinh Duy Thanh^c

^aHasselt University, Institute for Materials Research (IMO-IMOMEC), Wetenschapspark, 1, Diepenbeek, Belgium

^bHasselt University, X-Lab, Wetenschapspark 1, Diepenbeek, 3590, Belgium

^cUniversity of Liège, Group Interdisciplinair de Génoprotéomique Appliquée GIGA, Avenue de l'Hôpital 1,Sart-Tilman, 4000, Belgium

International Conference on Hybrid and Organic Photovoltaics
Proceedings of International Conference on Hybrid and Organic Photovoltaics 2015 (HOPV15)

Roma, Italy, 2015 May 11th - 13th

Organizer: Filippo De Angelis

Poster, Aslihan Babayigit, 351
Publication date: 5th February 2015

Organometal halide perovskites have rapidly evolved into strong contenders to compete with silicon in the quest for low-cost photovoltaics, with their added value being solution-processability.^1,2Their primary drawback, however, is that so far the presence of lead (Pb) is required to obtain the highly favorable electro-optical properties of the most successful perovskite crystals such as CH₃NH₃PbI₃. Together with their tendency to degrade under the influence of humidity, and the corresponding disintegration of the unit cell, this implies that Pb compounds can be released into the environment upon failure of a perovskite module. As already known from literature, Pb is a rather toxic element causing irreversible neurological, nephrotic and hepatic damage.³Hence, finding a non-harmful alternative metal, exhibiting similar electro-optical characteristics in the resulting perovskite crystal, could be the solution to improve and ultimately commercialize perovskite-based solar cells. Tin (Sn), also being a group IV metal, has been deemed the most appropriate alternative.⁴However, Sn is also enlisted as a harmful chemical. Animal and human volunteer studies have shown that toxicity symptoms like fever, nausea, nephropathy, etc. emerge upon excessive uptake, raising question marks regarding the suitability of Sn as a more environmentally friendly alternative to Pb in perovskite solar cells.³ This contribution aims to make a first step towards the assessment of the environmental burden of both Pb and Sn based solar cells in the form of a toxicity study. Well-established aquatic model organisms are exposed to the appropriate degradation products, according to well-defined guidelines of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). This allows a systematic comparison of Sn and Pb-containing decayed compounds regarding their potentially harmful effects on the environment, and sheds light onto the applicability of both corresponding perovskite families in large-scale photovoltaic systems.

1. Grätzel, M. The light and shade of perovskite solar cells. Nature Materials 2014, 13, 838-842. 2. Green, M.A.; Ho-Baillie, A.; Snaith, H.J. The emergence of perovskite solar cells. Nature Photonics 2014, 8, 506-514. 3. World Health Organization, International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS): Health impact of chemicals, retrieved 2015-02-09. 4. Hao, F.; Stoumpos, C.C.; Cao, D.H.; Chang R.P.H.; Kanatzidis M.G. Lead-free solid-state organic-inorganic halide perovskite solar cells. Nature Photonics 2014, 8, 489-494.

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International Conference on Hybrid and Organic Photovoltaics

International Conference on Hybrid and Organic Photovoltaics (HOPV) is celebrated yearly in May. The main topics are the development, function and modeling of materials and devices for hybrid and organic solar cells. The field is now dominated by perovskite solar cells but also other hybrid technologies, as organic solar cells, quantum dot solar cells, and dye-sensitized solar cells and their integration into devices for photoelectrochemical solar fuel production.

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The main topics of the Asia-Pacific International Conference on Perovskite, Organic Photovoltaics and Optoelectronics (IPEROP) are discussed every year in Asia-Pacific for gathering the recent advances in the fields of material preparation, modeling and fabrication of perovskite and hybrid and organic materials. Photovoltaic devices are analyzed from fundamental physics and materials properties to a broad set of applications. The conference also covers the developments of perovskite optoelectronics, including light-emitting diodes, lasers, optical devices, nanophotonics, nonlinear optical properties, colloidal nanostructures, photophysics and light-matter coupling.

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The International Conference on Perovskite Thin Film Photovoltaics Perovskite Photonics and Optoelectronics (NIPHO) is the best place to hear the latest developments in perovskite solar cells as well as on recent advances in the fields of perovskite light-emitting diodes, lasers, optical devices, nanophotonics, nonlinear optical properties, colloidal nanostructures, photophysics and light-matter coupling.