Publications by authors named "Rachel C Kurchin"

Accurate models of electrochemical kinetics at electrode-electrolyte interfaces are crucial to understanding the high-rate behavior of energy storage devices. Phase transformation of electrodes is typically treated under equilibrium thermodynamic conditions, while realistic operation is at finite rates. Analyzing phase transformations under nonequilibrium conditions requires integrating nonlinear electrochemical kinetic models with thermodynamic models.

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Bismuth-based compounds have recently gained increasing attention as potentially nontoxic and defect-tolerant solar absorbers. However, many of the new materials recently investigated show limited photovoltaic performance. Herein, one such compound is explored in detail through theory and experiment: bismuth oxyiodide (BiOI).

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The relationship between charge-carrier lifetime and the tolerance of lead halide perovskite (LHP) solar cells to intrinsic point defects has drawn much attention by helping to explain rapid improvements in device efficiencies. However, little is known about how charge-carrier lifetime and solar cell performance in LHPs are affected by extrinsic defects (i.e.

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Methylammonium lead halide (MAPbX3 ) perovskites exhibit exceptional carrier transport properties. But their commercial deployment as solar absorbers is currently limited by their intrinsic instability in the presence of humidity and their lead content. Guided by our theoretical predictions, we explored the potential of methylammonium bismuth iodide (MBI) as a solar absorber through detailed materials characterization.

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Guided by predictive discovery framework, we investigate bismuth triiodide (BiI3) as a candidate thin-film photovoltaic (PV) absorber. BiI3 was chosen for its optical properties and the potential for "defect-tolerant" charge transport properties, which we test experimentally by measuring optical absorption and recombination lifetimes. We synthesize phase-pure BiI3 thin films by physical vapor transport and solution processing and single-crystals by an electrodynamic gradient vertical Bridgman method.

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