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Title: Switchable photovoltaic windows enabled by reversible photothermal complex dissociation from methylammonium lead iodide

Abstract

Materials with switchable absorption properties have been widely used for smart window applications to reduce energy consumption and enhance occupant comfort in buildings. In this work, we combine the benefits of smart windows with energy conversion by producing a photovoltaic device with a switchable absorber layer that dynamically responds to sunlight. Upon illumination, photothermal heating switches the absorber layer - composed of a metal halide perovskite-methylamine complex - from a transparent state (68% visible transmittance) to an absorbing, photovoltaic colored state (less than 3% visible transmittance) due to dissociation of methylamine. After cooling, the methylamine complex is re-formed, returning the absorber layer to the transparent state in which the device acts as a window to visible light. The thermodynamics of switching and performance of the device are described. In conclusion, this work validates a photovoltaic window technology that circumvents the fundamental tradeoff between efficient solar conversion and high visible light transmittance that limits conventional semitransparent PV window designs.

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1];  [1]; ORCiD logo [1];  [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), NREL Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD)
OSTI Identifier:
1413185
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA-5900-68407
Journal ID: ISSN 2041-1723
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC36-08GO28308
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Nature Communications
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 8; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing Group
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
14 SOLAR ENERGY; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; energy harvesting; solar cells; photovoltaic materials

Citation Formats

Wheeler, Lance M., Moore, David T., Ihly, Rachelle, Stanton, Noah J., Miller, Elisa M., Tenent, Robert C., Blackburn, Jeffrey L., and Neale, Nathan R. Switchable photovoltaic windows enabled by reversible photothermal complex dissociation from methylammonium lead iodide. United States: N. p., 2017. Web. doi:10.1038/s41467-017-01842-4.
Wheeler, Lance M., Moore, David T., Ihly, Rachelle, Stanton, Noah J., Miller, Elisa M., Tenent, Robert C., Blackburn, Jeffrey L., & Neale, Nathan R. Switchable photovoltaic windows enabled by reversible photothermal complex dissociation from methylammonium lead iodide. United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-01842-4
Wheeler, Lance M., Moore, David T., Ihly, Rachelle, Stanton, Noah J., Miller, Elisa M., Tenent, Robert C., Blackburn, Jeffrey L., and Neale, Nathan R. Thu . "Switchable photovoltaic windows enabled by reversible photothermal complex dissociation from methylammonium lead iodide". United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-01842-4. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1413185.
@article{osti_1413185,
title = {Switchable photovoltaic windows enabled by reversible photothermal complex dissociation from methylammonium lead iodide},
author = {Wheeler, Lance M. and Moore, David T. and Ihly, Rachelle and Stanton, Noah J. and Miller, Elisa M. and Tenent, Robert C. and Blackburn, Jeffrey L. and Neale, Nathan R.},
abstractNote = {Materials with switchable absorption properties have been widely used for smart window applications to reduce energy consumption and enhance occupant comfort in buildings. In this work, we combine the benefits of smart windows with energy conversion by producing a photovoltaic device with a switchable absorber layer that dynamically responds to sunlight. Upon illumination, photothermal heating switches the absorber layer - composed of a metal halide perovskite-methylamine complex - from a transparent state (68% visible transmittance) to an absorbing, photovoltaic colored state (less than 3% visible transmittance) due to dissociation of methylamine. After cooling, the methylamine complex is re-formed, returning the absorber layer to the transparent state in which the device acts as a window to visible light. The thermodynamics of switching and performance of the device are described. In conclusion, this work validates a photovoltaic window technology that circumvents the fundamental tradeoff between efficient solar conversion and high visible light transmittance that limits conventional semitransparent PV window designs.},
doi = {10.1038/s41467-017-01842-4},
journal = {Nature Communications},
number = 1,
volume = 8,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Nov 23 00:00:00 EST 2017},
month = {Thu Nov 23 00:00:00 EST 2017}
}

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Solvent engineering for high-performance inorganic–organic hybrid perovskite solar cells
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Semi-transparent polymer solar cells with 6% PCE, 25% average visible transmittance and a color rendering index close to 100 for power generating window applications
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Controlled doping of phthalocyanine layers by cosublimation with acceptor molecules: A systematic Seebeck and conductivity study
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