Functionalized Fullerenes for Selective Electron Extraction in Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells
Perovskite solar cells (PSCs), have shown a remarkable increase in photoconversion efficiency (PCE), from 3.8% in 2009, to 22.1% in 2016. The good electron transporting and solution processable properties of fullerene derivatives make them the most popular electron transporting materials (ETMs) in PSCs. The influence of different adducts on the PCEs of fullerene-based PSCs has not been fully explored to date.
Outcome: We reported new functionalized fullerene derivatives, and PCEs up to 18.6% were obtained when they were used as the ETMs in PSCs.
1. Chengbo Tian, Edison Castro, Tan Wang, German Betancourt-Solis, Gloria Rodriguez, and Luis Echegoyen. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 8 (45), 31426-31432, 2016.
2. Chengbo Tian, Kevin Kochiss, Edison Castro, German Betancourt-Solis, Hongwei Han, and Luis Echegoyen. J. Mater. Chem. A, 5, 7326-7332, 2017.
PREM Outreach Activities
Overview: In February 2015, the PREM students launched the new outreach program by developing the following modules: Hydrogen Car, Light the Way, States of Matter, and Van De Graff Shock. The students developed hands-on activities which allowed the program to shift away from laboratory tours. The modules are presented to students in the local school districts by PREM research students, with 100% participation. Our goal is to ignite curiosity through hands-on experiences in order to foster the next generation of scientists and engineers. Students who participate in the outreach activities are encouraged to ask questions and guess an answer (Hypothesis), conduct the activity (Procedure), discuss their observations (Result), and talk about real life applications (Conclusion). They become researchers during the outreach activities.
