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- Svanström, Sebastian, 1990-
(författare)
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The life and death of perovskites : Interfacial function and degradation of lead halide perovskites studied by photoelectron spectroscopy
- 2021
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Lead halide perovskite solar cells are a promising new technology which could soon see widespread commercial application but is partly held back by poor long-term stability. In this thesis, photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) is used to study the dynamical processes at the surface or interfaces of lead halide perovskite materials. Some of these processes are responsible for the different types of degradation while others are essential for the function of the solar cell. The work includes a range of lead perovskite compositions with the general formula APbX3, in which A is a monovalent cation, and often organic (e.g. formamidinium or methylammonium), and X is a halide anion, typically Br- or I-. The compositions can also include mixtures of cations at the A and anions at the X site.Part of this thesis is dedicated to investigating the degradation of the perovskite surface in response to both intense visible light and X-ray irradiation. The results show that intense illumination induces the decomposition of the perovskite into metallic lead, halide gas and organic halide salt, but also indicate how this process can be suppressed by the addition of small amounts of Cs+ ions and by adjusting the relative amounts of halides. A different process, induced by the X-ray radiolysis of the organic cation, is shown to consume rather than form metallic lead.Another part of this thesis is dedicated to the investigation of the reactions at the interfaces between the perovskite and silver, copper or SnOx. The results show that both copper and silver react rapidly with the perovskite forming metal halides and that the metal can diffuse into the perovskite. Copper is particularly reactive, leading to the formation of two new compounds and the bulk degradation of the perovskite. The SnOx is significantly more stable but material intermixing results in the formation of a thin interface layer that may hinder charge extraction. Finally, a method for measuring both interfacial photovoltage and band alignment in a fully functional perovskite solar cell using hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) is demonstrated. The results showcase the design considerations for the samples and the measurement setup and the potential of this technique. In summary, this thesis shows the suitability of PES for studying both the function and degradation of surfaces and interfaces of complex dynamical systems. It serves as a guide for future studies by highlighting challenges and possibilities faced when working with these systems.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Källquist, Ida
(författare)
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Combining Electrochemistry and Photoelectron Spectroscopy for the Study of Li-ion Batteries
- 2021
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In this thesis photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) is combined with electrochemistry to investigate the electrochemical processes that occur at the electrode/electrolyte interfaces in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). LIB systems are studied by the use of both ex situ PES, where electrodes are electrochemically pre-cycled and subsequently measured by PES, and operando PES, where electrodes are cycled during PES measurements. Ex situ PES is used to determine the main degradation mechanisms of a novel high capacity material, Li2VO2F. The capacity fade seen for Li2VO2F. is found to be related to an irreversible oxidation of the active material at high voltages, and a continuous surface layer formation at low voltages. To decrease the capacity fading three strategies for optimizing the interface are investigated. The results show that a surface coating of AlF3 most efficiently can mitigate electrolyte reduction, while boron containing electrolyte additives and transition metal substitution more successfully limit the oxidation of the active material. A large part of the work performed in this thesis has been devoted towards developing a methodology suitable for conducting operando ambient pressure photoelectron spectroscopy (APPES) measurements on LIB systems. A general connection between the theory of PES and electrochemistry is made, where in particular a model suitable for interpreting operando APPES results on solid/liquid interfaces is suggested. The model is further developed for the specific case of LIB interfaces. The results from the operando studies show that the kinetic energy shifts of the liquid electrolyte measured by APPES can be correlated to the electrochemical reactions occurring at the interface. If no charge transfer occurs, the kinetic energy shift is proportional to the applied voltage. During charge transfer the behavior is more complex, and the kinetic energy shifts are related to the change in chemical potential of the working electrode. In summary, this thesis exemplifies how both ex situ and operando PES are highly useful techniques for the study of LIB battery interfaces. The possibilities of both techniques are highlighted, and important considerations for an accurate interpretation of the PES results are also discussed.
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| 4. |
- Källquist, Ida, et al.
(författare)
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Probing Electrochemical Potential Differences over the Solid/Liquid Interface in Li-Ion Battery Model Systems.
- 2021
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Ingår i: ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1944-8244 .- 1944-8252. ; 13:28, s. 32989-32996
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The electrochemical potential difference (Δμ̅) is the driving force for the transfer of a charged species from one phase to another in a redox reaction. In Li-ion batteries (LIBs), Δμ̅ values for both electrons and Li-ions play an important role in the charge-transfer kinetics at the electrode/electrolyte interfaces. Because of the lack of suitable measurement techniques, little is known about how Δμ̅ affects the redox reactions occurring at the solid/liquid interfaces during LIB operation. Herein, we outline the relations between different potentials and show how ambient pressure photoelectron spectroscopy (APPES) can be used to follow changes in Δμ̅e over the solid/liquid interfaces operando by measuring the kinetic energy (KE) shifts of the electrolyte core levels. The KE shift versus applied voltage shows a linear dependence of ∼1 eV/V during charging of the electrical double layer and during solid electrolyte interphase formation. This agrees with the expected results for an ideally polarizable interface. During lithiation, the slope changes drastically. We propose a model to explain this based on charge transfer over the solid/liquid interface.
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| 5. |
- Mukherjee, Soham, et al.
(författare)
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Entrapped Molecule-Like Europium-Oxide Clusters in Zinc Oxide with Nearly Unaffected Host Structure
- 2023
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Ingår i: Small. - : Wiley-VCH Verlagsgesellschaft. - 1613-6810 .- 1613-6829. ; 19:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Nanocrystalline ZnO sponges doped with 5 mol% EuO1.5 are obtained by heating metal–salt complex based precursor pastes at 200–900 °C for 3 min. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) show that phase separation into ZnO:Eu and c-Eu2O3 takes place upon heating at 700 °C or higher. The unit cell of the clean oxide made at 600 °C shows only ≈0.4% volume increase versus undoped ZnO, and EXAFS shows a ZnO local structure that is little affected by the Eu-doping and an average Eu3+ ion coordination number of ≈5.2. Comparisons of 23 density functional theory-generated structures having differently sized Eu-oxide clusters embedded in ZnO identify three structures with four or eight Eu atoms as the most energetically favorable. These clusters exhibit the smallest volume increase compared to undoped ZnO and Eu coordination numbers of 5.2–5.5, all in excellent agreement with experimental data. ZnO defect states are crucial for efficient Eu3+ excitation, while c-Eu2O3 phase separation results in loss of the characteristic Eu3+ photoluminescence. The formation of molecule-like Eu-oxide clusters, entrapped in ZnO, proposed here, may help in understanding the nature of the unexpected high doping levels of lanthanide ions in ZnO that occur virtually without significant change in ZnO unit cell dimensions.
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| 6. |
- Mukherjee, Soham, et al.
(författare)
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Structure and Electronic Effects from Mn and Nb Co-doping for Low Band Gap BaTiO3 Ferroelectrics
- 2021
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Ingår i: The Journal of Physical Chemistry C. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1932-7447 .- 1932-7455. ; 125:27, s. 14910-14923
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We have investigated the doping-induced local structural and electronic effects in the recently developed low band gap room temperature ferroelectric Mn-Nb co-doped BaTiO3. Experimental and theoretical Raman spectroscopies are utilized to quantify the Ti off-centering, identified to be the intrinsic origin of ferroelectricity in these systems. Mn and Nb exhibit contrasting doping behaviors that have remarkable effects on BaTiO3 functionality. Jahn-Teller distorted Mn3+ is primarily associated with lowering of the bulk band gap, while charge-compensating Nb5+ off-centers within the O-6 octahedra, creating a polar mode that stabilizes the ferroelectric ground state. The charge neutral aliovalent Mn3+-Nb5+ pair effectively couples to the inherent ferroelectric instability of the BaTiO3 lattice, restoring some spontaneous polarization lost by doping Mn3+ (d(4)) ions at Ti4+ (d(0)) sites.
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