Green-based modifiable CaZnBr4 for solar cells application

• Published in: Materials for renewable and sustainable energy Vol. 12; no. 3; pp. 219 - 234
• Main Authors: Emetere, Moses E., Bello, Oluwaseyi O.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01-12-2023; Springer Nature B.V; SpringerOpen
• Subjects: Additives; Bandgap; Chemistry and Materials Science; Crystal defects; Energy conversion efficiency; Fluorescence spectroscopy; Green-based additives; Lead free; Materials Science; Optical properties; Original Paper; Perovskite; Perovskites; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaics; Power conversion efficiency; Renewable and Green Energy; Scanning electron microscopy; Solar cell; Solar cells; Spectroscopy; Spectrum analysis; Stability; X-ray fluorescence; Solar cell; Perovskite; Power conversion efficiency; Green-based additives; Bandgap
• ISSN: 2194-1459; 2194-1467
• DOI: 10.1007/s40243-023-00242-7

Future revolution in photovoltaics will be hinged mainly on cost, health implication, and material stability and performance. Based on these criteria, lead-based inorganic photovoltaics, organic–inorganic hybrid, and silicon photovoltaics are screened-out. According to the literature, the lead-free inorganic perovskite solar cell is favorably disposed to cost and safe-health. However, the simultaneous solution to material stability, high defect density, and low power conversion efficiency (PCE) still remains a mystery that has not been solved. This research proposed the green-based modifiable CaZnBr
4
as a potential candidate for lead-free solar cell application based on the principle of A-site cation with green-based additive incorporation. The green-based additive was obtained from Kola Nitida, Carica Papaya, Ficus Exasperata, and Musa paradisiaca. The elemental characterization of the green-based additives was performed using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF). The optical, crystalline, and electronic properties were characterized using ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, Quantum Espresso, scanning electron microscopy and SCAPS-1D. The green-base-modified CaZnBr
4
showed significant PCE improvement by 3% with significant film and crystallinity formation. The stressed state of the parent compound CaZnBr
4
shows that it may be better suited for thermovoltaics application. It is recommended that better results could be obtained when different synthetic routes and green-based additives are used to initiate the defect passivation protocols.