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Advancements and Modification of 3rd Generation Solar Cells for Hydrogen Production
Alashkar, Adnan
Alashkar, Adnan
Description
A Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation in Materials Science and Engineering by Adnan Alashkar entitled, “Advancements and Modification of 3rd Generation Solar Cells for Hydrogen Production”, submitted in September 2024. Dissertation advisor is Dr. Taleb Ibrahim and dissertation co-advisor is Dr. Abdul Hai Alalami. Soft copy is available (Dissertation, Completion Certificate, Approval Signatures, and AUS Archives Consent Form).
Abstract
Hydrogen is a clean and versatile energy carrier that can be used as a fuel in a variety of applications. Solar-driven hydrogen production via water electrolysis, utilizing third-generation solar cells, represents a sustainable and carbon-neutral approach to generate hydrogen. These advanced solar cells, namely dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) and perovskite solar cells (PSC), are prized for their high efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and potential to support sustainable energy initiatives. In addition, central to water electrolysis technologies are the electrodes catalysing the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), with platinum (Pt) traditionally regarded for its superior catalytic activity. However, Pt limited availability and high cost hinder widespread deployment in commercial electrolysis systems. In this project, two approaches are examined on the path of enhancing the performance, stability, and cost of solar-driven hydrogen production. In the first approach, third generation solar cells are modified through enhancing the performance and figure of merit of DSSCs via utilizing transparent and conductive electrodes made of copper mesh and replacing metal-based sensitizers with natural dye. Ionic liquids (ILs) are employed as additives for bulk passivation of perovskite films which enhanced the stability and performance of PSCs by increasing the power conversion efficiency of the PSC by 2%. The modified third generation solar cells show great enhancement in the cost and performance of solar-driven hydrogen, where DSSCs and passivated PSCs showed an improved figure of merit by 0.05%/AED and 0.14%/AED, respectively when compared to silicon solar cells. In the second approach, Cu and Ni foams are augmented via adding a graphene layer to enhance the electrochemical kinetics of the HER. Graphene is synthesized and deposited employing the facile ball milling technique, thus reducing the time and cost involved in conventional graphene deposition methods. These modifications showcase promising performance of Cu and Ni foams that is comparable to Pt electrodes but at a reduced cost, highlighting their potential for advancing solar-driven hydrogen production technologies.