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Solar CellsThe development of renewable energy sources that are alternative to fossil fuels is a burgeoning scientific and technological field. Solar cells convert the energy of the sun to electricity with little or no emission to the environment. Reducing the cost of converting solar energy into electricity is a global endeavor that is attracting the attention of researchers worldwide. Research activities in the Department of Materials Engineering have been focused on the development of low cost and light weight dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), a new type of solar energy devices that is now recognised as the most significant alternative photovoltaic technology to silicon wafer-based solar cells. Several researchers in the department have been actively involved in this area and have made concerted efforts in dealing with key materials related issues for this technology. Professor Yi-Bing Cheng is mainly working on the development of nanostructured electrodes and construction of solar cell devices, including flexible DSSCs on plastic substrates. Professor Maria Forsyth is developing efficient and stable electrolytes which are a key component for DSSCs. Dr. Udo Bach is working on the fabrication of DSSCs on flexible substrates using solid-state and ionic liquid electrolytes and tandem DSSC devices. Dr. Jenny Pringle’s research area is focused around ionic liquids and conducting polymers for DSSC applications. The research team in the Department of Materials Engineering has close collaborations with researchers in the School of Chemistry (Monash University), University of Melbourne, University of Wollongong, CSIRO and other Australian and international institutions. Their research activities in this area are funded by the ARC, the ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science (ACES) and the Victorian Consortium for Organic Solar Cells (VICOSC). Solar Prints - ABC Catayst Program (23/04/09) (video link) Flexible Solar Cells at Monash (video clip) Active Researchers in this field:
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