Presented via webinar.
Abstract: The latest progress in solution process-based organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites solar cells (PSCs) is reshaping the growth pattern of any previous photovoltaic technologies and has raised a storm of research fever. However, despite the success in boosting efficiency of PSCs, it also appears high time to inject an intense dose of cold thoughts into this globally-spreading “perovskite fever”, because PSCs are still facing several critical materials science and environmental challenges including material instability, the use of toxic lead, the use of precious metals as back cathode, as well as some missing puzzle pieces for a comprehensive basic science understanding of in their excellent charge transport and light harvesting properties. In this talk, I will present some of our work on tackling these challenges including the use of nickel as back electrode to replace the costly gold, the effect of ionic dopants on the stability of perovskite materials, as well as our fundamental study to understand the relation between structure and the optoelectronic properties of hybrid perovskite materials using isotope effect and high pressure method.
Bio: Professor Tao Xu received his PhD in Chemistry from The University of Alabama in 2003 under the advisory of Prof. Robert M. Metzger in the field of Molecular Electronics. He worked as a post-doc in Texas A&M University between 2003-2004 and at Materials Science Division at Argonne National Laboratory during 2004-2006. He became an Assistant Professor at the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Northern Illinois University in 2006 and was promoted to Associate Professor since 2012 and Full Professor since 2017. In 2019, he was awarded with the Presidential Research Professorship by Northern Illinois University. Professor Xu is also the recipient of NSF CAREER Award and R&D 100 award. Professor Xu's current research focuses on the design, synthesis, characterization and applications of novel materials, nanoscale structures and assembles for energy and environmental science and technologies including solar energy conversion, electrical energy storage, chemical catalysis, and gas sensors.
