Powering a safer solar future

After working to set a world record for lead-free solar cell efficiency, Dr Peng Chen is now leading a research team at AIBN focused on creating safer and more efficient materials for solar energy.

His core expertise is designing new nanomaterials which he is harnessing to explore beyond solar cells to create devices such as wearable electronics, sensors and future medical devices.

Collaborating for success

As a group leader, Dr Chen embraces the responsibility to contribute to AIBN and foster multidisciplinary collaborations and maintain research excellence.

"AIBN has many excellent research groups and we have many opportunities to collaborate."

“Now with each idea, I am thinking, how can this contribute to research excellence at AIBN?”

“My team can share our expertise and knowledge in semiconductor nanomaterials for different applications and collaborate with other groups to elevate our research.”

Safer solar cells

“My goal is to create safer, more sustainable alternatives for solar cells.”

A significant part of Dr Chen’s research addresses the toxicity problem in next-generation low-cost thin-film solar cells.

Traditional high-performance perovskite solar cells often rely on lead-containing compounds as the main light-absorbing component because it is very effective at converting sunlight into electricity.

Lead-free and non-toxic

Lead is highly toxic, causing serious health problems, particularly in children and can pollute the environment if not disposed of properly.

Dr Chen advocates for completely lead-free materials to avoid environmental and health risks.

"I want to remove this toxicity issue, so it is not present in solar products of the future."

To mitigate this, Dr Chen’s team developed lead-free alternatives by substituting lead with tin, a safer element from the same periodic group.

Tin is a suitable eco-friendly alternative does not compromise efficiency and degrades into a harmless, stable form.

In 2025, Dr Chen was part of a team setting a new world record for the efficiency of lead-free perovskite solar cells, achieving a certified efficiency of 16.65 per cent.

Powering indoor electronics

While eliminating lead is a key focus, Dr Chen sees even broader opportunities for the materials his team is developing.

He is exploring the application of these tin-based materials for indoor power sources, converting indoor light (for example, LED lighting) directly into electricity sufficient to run devices around the home without the need for batteries.

Wearable medical devices

The solar cells are thin and flexible in contrast to traditional silicon solar cells, which are rigid and brittle.

Their eco-friendly nature ensures no toxic risk when used indoors.

And with safe attachment to the skin, this battery-free, self-powered concept could transform wearable health monitoring technology.

Dr Chen’s vision includes developing wearable, flexible medical devices for health monitoring, as well as potential use in hospital equipment like X-ray detectors and sensors.

“Tin perovskites can also absorb and emit infrared light, which is valuable for medical devices that require communication via long-wavelength infrared light between sensors and tissues inside the body.”

Making a real contribution

Dr Chen’s ambition is to partner with industry to use his non-hazardous nanomaterials in next generation optoelectronics including solar cells, medical sensors and wearable electronics.

“During my PhD, I just wanted to enjoy the fun of science but now I want to make a real contribution.”

“As my career progressed, I started to consider how I could contribute my knowledge to make an impact.”

“My goal is to bring real products and prototypes to market, collaborating with local manufacturers and industry partners.”

Some of Dr Chen’s ideas are already taking shape – he is already a co-inventor on two patents for tin perovskites and their composites and is working with a solar cell manufacturing company in New South Wales.

Dr Chen moved to AIBN following his PhD at UQ’s School of Chemical Engineering to work on perovskites and quantum dots for thin-film solar cells.

Quantum dots are nanocrystals smaller than 20 nanometres that exhibit unique quantum properties.

As highly crystalline semiconductor materials, these quantum dots effectively harvest solar energy and generate renewable electricity, contributing to a lower carbon future.

A culture of curiosity

Dr Chen hopes to create a team culture that balances curiosity, independence and achievement.

“I always tell my team, enjoy the science…find a topic you’re interested in and feel free to explore.”

"They don't need to publish too many papers, but they need at least one paper they can be very proud to present at an academic conference."

Now leading his own research team, Dr Chen hopes to inspire the same curiosity that first drew him to science while helping turn promising discoveries into technologies that benefit society.