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Materials for Solar Energy Conversion and Storage research group

Prof. Iris Visoly-Fisher research group

Developing halide perovskite optoelectronics as cost-effective and highly efficient solar cells faces a significant challenge concerning sustainability and environmental impact. Issues arise from the presence of lead (Pb) in perovskite materials and the long-term stability of the solar cells, which may necessitate frequent refurbishing and raise waste management concerns.

 Our research addresses these concerns by investigating methods for perovskite solar cell recovery after degradation, towards extended lifetimes. Our review of the current knowledge shows that this threat is found to be comparable to that posed by currently used Pb-containing products, and a plethora of measures are available to mitigate the environmental impact of Pb.

Furthermore, our experimental study on the environmental impact of Pb leaching showed that the penetration profiles in soil indicated shallow immobilization of the Pb cations, with negligible odds of reaching and contaminating ground water. The soil composition had a small effect on the penetration profile and the adsorption mechanism. We, therefore, suggest that Pb in PSCs and its effect on the environment are not as concerning, as they seem to be.