Hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites have attracted interest in photovoltaic applications due to their excellent optoelectronic properties and low-temperature processability. From 2009 to 2021, lab-scale perovskite solar cells (PSC) reached a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 25.7%, and a PCE of 17.9% for perovskite solar modules with an area of 800 cm2. Here, we present an investigation using three deposition techniques, spin-coating, blade-coating, and spray-coating, to process the charge transport layers and the active layer of perovskite solar cells onto 5 cm × 5 cm sized substrates, with device structure glass/fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)/c-TiO2/meso-TiO2+Perovskite/2,2’,7,7’-tetrakis(N,N-di-p-methoxyphenyl-amine)9,9’-spirobifluorene (spiro-OMeTAD) or poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT)/Au. Large-area PSC achieved an open-circuit voltage of around 1.1 V and PCE of 6%. The power generated was sufficient to start a fan. Furthermore, the connection in series of two large-area PSCs generated a voltage of 1.9 V. Then, we developed a simple method for manufacturing a monolithic perovskite mini-module containing two series-connected PSCs without using laser-scribing processes (usually named P1, P2, and P3 processes). This mini-module delivered a voltage of 1.52 V. Both voltages (1.9 and 1.52 V) were enough to turn on a red (or yellow) light-emitting diode (LED). To our knowledge, this is the first scientific report describing the assembly of a large-area n-i-p perovskite single cell and mini-module in Brazil.

Sustainable energy generation has been a growing concern worldwide due to the alarming effects of climate changes in the last few decades. In this scenario, perovskite solar cells hold great promise in contributing for a greener global energy matrix. Despite the great potential of this technology, several difficulties to deploy perovskite solar panels are yet to be overcome, being their long-term stability one of the most critical. In this sense, this work offers an alternative to improve the long-term, operational stability of the devices by passivating the CsFAMA perovskite active layer with a mixture of N-(2-aminoethyl)naphthalimide and mercaptopropionic acid. These modifications improved the perovskite and device stability under ambient conditions. The solar cells without encapsulation and with post-treatment with 5 mM modifier solution retained ca. 90% of its initial power conversion efficiency (PCE) after 500 h exposed to ambient conditions, while standard solar cells retained ca. 58%. Our approach offers a simple new method to improve the stability of perovskite solar cells using an unexplored combination of passivating molecules.

Photocatalytic reactions to convert CO2 and H2O into solar fuels using only solar irradiation have been investigated in this work. For this purpose, titanosilicate ETS-10 was decorated with Cu2O and CuO nanoparticles and their properties were analyzed by different techniques. The final materials were applied in photoreduction of CO2 in gas phase under 20 h of solar irradiation. In the final, the products oxygen, acetic acid, formaldehyde and methanol were detected by chromatographic techniques. Photoluminescence and electrochemical studies indicate the interaction between CuxO nanoparticles and Ti-O-Ti-O on the surface of ETS-10, corroborating with the results obtained in the photocatalytic experiments. The best CO2 photoconversion efficiencies into methanol were obtained when using ETS-10/CuxO compared to pure ETS-10. Another important finding in this study is the fact that the reactions were carried out in the gas phase and no scavenge donors were employed.

An interesting practical experiment about the preparation of dye–sensitized solar cells (DSSC) using natural dyes were carried out by the undergraduate students in the chemistry course at UNICAMP . Natural dyes were extracted from blueberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.), jabuticabas (Myrciaria cauliflora), raw and cooked beets (Beta vulgaris L.), and annattos (Bixa orellana L.), which were used to sensitize TiO2 films that composed the photoanode in the DSSC. A polymer electrolyte containing an iodide/triiodide redox couple was used in lieu of the use of liquid solutions to prevent any leakage in the devices. A maximum solar-to-electric energy conversion of 0.26 ± 0.02% was obtained for the solar cell prepared with annatto extracts. This experiment was an effective way to illustrate to the undergraduate students how to apply some of the chemical concepts that they learned during their chemistry course to produce electric energy from a clean and renewable energy source. Teachers could also exploit the basics of the electronic transitions in inorganic and organic compounds (e.g., metal-to-ligand charge transfer and ϖ-ϖ* transitions), thermodynamics (e.g., Gibbs free energy), acid–base reactions in the oxide solid surface and electrolyte, and band theory (i.e., the importance of the Fermi level energy).