FURI | Spring 2024

Nontoxic Material Design Using Tin-based Perovskites for Sustainable Energy Production

The research endeavors to enhance the efficiency of perovskite films by utilizing tin (Sn) instead of toxic lead (Pb), aiming to reduce environmental impacts while developing transparent photovoltaic window absorber materials. This work uses fully inorganic precursor materials to create a more stable crystalline material, notably CsSnBr3 (cesium tin bromide). However, current tin-based inks cannot carry the characteristics of efficiency and transparency together. The ability to find an ink that can simultaneously be efficient, transparent, and environmentally friendly has the potential to revolutionize how energy is gathered in the world, shifting from greenhouse gases to mainly solar energy.