Following a research initiative, researchers at the Duke University have uncovered interesting facts of long-hidden molecular dynamics. The favorable properties of molecular dynamics provide solar energy and heat energy applications for an exciting lass of materials called halide perovskites.
In fact, it is the hinge-like fashion of the atomic lattice twists and turns of these materials is a key contributor for them to create and transport electricity. Importantly, these results will help material scientists in their quest to tailor the chemical recipes for these materials for wide ranging applications.
The results of the research initiative is published in the online edition of Nature Materials.
“Meanwhile, halide perovskites finds broad interest for energy applications such as photovoltaics, optoelectronic radiation detection, and thermoelectrics with the entire field being incredibly active,” stated one of the research associates.
Whilst, the softness of these materials is important for electronic properties, the features that underpin these atomic motions that are now uncovered remained a mystery.
In terms of classification, perovskites are a class of materials that have the right combination of elements. This group of materials have evolved into a crystalline structure, because of which they are particularly suitable for energy applications. Furthermore, the ability of these materials to absorb light and transfer energy of the absorbed light makes them a common interest of researchers to develop new types of solar cells. The softness of perovskites, similar to how solid gold can be easily dented gives them the ability to handle defects and avoid cracking when molded into a thin film.
Nonetheless, there is not one recipe that can form a perovskite, it is a wide range.
