Researchers from Sydney-based Macquarie University (MU) and the University of New South Wales (UNSW), in collaboration with Wagga Wagga-headquartered perovskite solar cell developer Halocell Energy, are applying an annealing time-reduction breakthrough to high-efficiency pervoskite cells.
Annealing is a heat treatment process which is a critical step in fabricating photovoltaic cells, and builds on prior research completed at the MU.
The Revolutionising Indoor Sensor Power: Rapid Microwave Annealing for Ultra-low-cost Perovskite Solar Cells project is led by MU School of Engineering Senior Lecturer Dr Binesh Veettil.
Veettil said the 30-minute lengthy annealing time required to fabricate perovskite cells is a challenge to be addressed to enable their widespread adoption.
“In the laboratory environment, we have demonstrated that the same results can be obtained in 30 seconds using microwave annealing,” Veettil said.
“When modified for the roll-to-roll setup of our project industry partner, Halocell Energy, we aim to increase the speed of the annealing process by 300% while producing the highest quality semiconductors, which will also help to reduce the energy requirement for annealing by 50%.”
UNSW School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering Co-Investigator Dr Robert Patterson said the goal is to demonstrate the feasibility of the technique in roll-to-roll manufacturing, paving the way for large-scale, eco-friendly indoor sensor deployment.
“This project facilitates an easy solution: indoor-use-optimised solar cells combined with compact supercapacitors for energy storage, which not only addresses the pressing issue of toxic waste but also offers a practical benefit to end-users.”
He said by providing ‘install-and-forget’ sensors that have no downtime because of battery replacement, facilitates continuous operation without the environmental burden.
The Revolutionising Indoor Sensor Power project is the recipient of a NSW Smart Sensing Network fund in the hope the project will eliminate the reliance of sensors on disposable batteries and create a more sustainable sensor power source.
Industry partner, Wagga Wagga NSW-based Halocell Energy Director and Chief Executive Officer Paul Moonie told pv magazine reducing the annealing time critical to the company’s efforts to commercialise perovskite solar cells.
“It’s crucial technology for highspeed production as annealing is a major bottleneck of production,” Moonie said.
Halocell is developing perovskite solar cells to manufacture for indoor using a roll-to-roll process using screen-printing, slot-die coating, or spray-painting the cells, making them cost-effective when mass produced.
According to the Commonwealth Science and Industry Research Organisation (CSIRO), the rate of lithium-ion battery waste in Australia is increasing 20% annually, with projections the waste could surpass 100,000 tonnes by 2036.
In addition, approximately 264 million alkaline batteries reach their end of life each year, and less than 5% are recycled, with millions used in smart sensors and data loggers, which contribute to the problem.
Updated: 23 September 2024
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