An effort led by U-M could enable industrial competitors to collectively build a predictive model that speeds the development of advanced solar cells
Clare Langhan, a University of Michigan PhD candidate in mechanical engineering, spincoats thin-film perovskite samples in glovebox-a key step in the creation of perovskite solar cells.Halide perovskites, a class of materials that has been largely developed over the past decade, represent a promising new semiconductor material that can, among other things, boost solar cell efficiency. How promising? In less than 15 years of study, solar cells utilizing perovskites have increased their efficiency from 10% to 26%.
Clare Langhan, a University of Michigan PhD candidate in mechanical engineering, spincoats thin-film perovskite samples in glovebox-a key step in the creation of perovskite solar cells."With something like perovskite manufacturing, you have different sources of data on factors such as the optimal processing parameters,” said Raed Al Kontar , U-M assistant professor of industrial and operations engineering. "The question becomes how these different companies that are doing their own research can optimally collaborate and distribute the data they are collecting through trial and error testing.”
Engineers at U-M, and their partners at UCSD, will conduct isolated experiments with perovskite semiconductors. Al Kontar will take data collected from each to build predictive models for forecasting product quality and performance-helping both to narrow down key parameters such as optimal pressure and temperature during manufacturing.
A layer of perovskite atop a semiconductor-a key step in the creation of perovskite solar cells.To do that, the team has Sarah Crane , research manager at U-M’s Economic Growth Institute, and Julie Hui , assistant professor at the School of Information, who studies how technology influences access to work and employment.
"Sarah and Julie will help us make sure we understand the landscape out there for those companies-what their needs are in this space, how we can bring them into this ecosystem and how we can help them create jobs.”
In addition to Dasgupta, Okwudire, Al Kontar, Crane and Hui, U-M’s team includes Wei Lu , professor of mechanical engineering, who will lead efforts to model the mechanical and material aspects of the process. Partners at UCSD include David Fenning , assistant professor of nanoengineering, who will lead the solar cell testing and design aspects of the project.
The four-year, $3 million grant is part of the NSF’s Future Manufacturing program supporting "fundamental research and education of a future workforce to overcome scientific, technological, educational, economic and social barriers in order to catalyze new manufacturing capabilities that do not exist today.”
