Approaching Tandem Solar Cells in Chemistry Classes

Philipp Lanfermann¹, Thomas Waitz¹ and Mona Christin Maaß^1,

¹Chemistry Education Department, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany

Cite this paper

Philipp Lanfermann, Thomas Waitz and Mona Christin Maaß. Approaching Tandem Solar Cells in Chemistry Classes. World Journal of Chemical Education. 2023; 11(3):60-64. doi: 10.12691/WJCE-11-3-7

Abstract

Protecting the climate by increasing the share of energy from renewable sources, such as solar energy, has become a central goal of the EU. Hence, this contribution presents approaches to implement this important topic into chemistry education. It first summarizes the working principles of silicon and perovskite solar cells and describes the potential of combining them within a so-called tandem solar cell. We then present an experiment suitable for student laboratories in which a working perovskite solar cell is constructed using anodically oxidized titanium and copper(I) thiocyanate coated FTO glass as electrodes. The self-built solar cell is also experimentally compared to commercially available silicon solar cells. Finally, we provide practical suggestions for covering solar cells in chemistry classes.

Keywords

perovskite solar cells, silicon solar cells, tandem solar cells, renewable energy

Copyright

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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