A new chalcogenide perovskite, BZS, is stable, non-toxic, has an optimal band gap, and can achieve high efficiency when strained, according to ACAP researchers Alireza Yaghoubi, Rob Patterson and Xiaojing Hao at UNSW.
The newly discovered perovskite shows week ferroelectricity, but when strained, it gains exotic properties that can signifcantly improve efficiency.
They have proposed a cell design that involves stacking up to 100 ultrathin layers of BZS to boost efficiency, potentially achieving levels beyond 38% when paired with silicon in a tandem cell.
Producing BZS solar cells is difficult due to the need for a controlled environment to avoid contamination, but the group's findings highlight the potential of BZS to revolutionise solar technology.
Find out more about this exciting work: Alireza Yaghoubi has written about their important discoveries in Tech Xplore and https://communities.springernature.com/posts/a-new-hope-beyond-halide-perovskites. The group have had their work published in Nature's Communications Materials.
The extract below is from Yaghoubi's article in Tech Xplore.
"Enter BaZrS3: A promising new contender
While halide perovskites have captured attention, another material is emerging as a contender: BaZrS3 (BZS), a type of chalcogenide perovskite (chalcogenides are a class of material that include sulfides, selenides and tellurides). Unlike halide perovskites, BZS is stable, non-toxic, and retains properties favorable for solar cells.
Using supercomputers at NCI (National Computational Infrastructure), researchers at the Australian Center for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP) discovered a version of BZS with weak ferroelectricity. By applying strain, they enhanced its properties to mimic the exotic traits of halide perovskites.
In the paper published in Communications Materials, Alireza Yaghoubi and colleagues propose an ambitious design: stacking up to 100 ultrathin, semi-transparent layers of BZS to boost efficiency. When paired with existing silicon solar technologies, this could achieve efficiency levels beyond 38%.
Despite its promise, Yaghoubi says making BZS solar cells is challenging. "Thermodynamics is a two-way road. If something is so stable that it won't easily break down, it also means it is very difficult to make in the first place." He continued "Most chalcogenides prefer sulfur over oxygen, but in the case of BZS, both zirconium and barium have a high affinity for oxygen. We need a significantly more controlled environment to avoid contamination.
Chalcogenide perovskites: The future of solar power?
BaZrS3 could represent the next leap in solar technology. While halide perovskites have paved the way with their remarkable efficiency gains, issues like toxicity and instability limit their commercial potential.
BZS offers a stable, non-toxic alternative with the promise of higher efficiencies. However, developing efficient production methods remains a critical challenge. With continued innovation, BZS and similar materials could lead to cleaner, more efficient solar energy, ushering in a new era of sustainable power."
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