Solving the world’s energy problems is critically important. Solar energy is the cleanest form of renewable resource and it is potentially the most abundant. For example, the potential solar energy capacity in the US alone is 80 terawatts, which is more than all the other renewable sources combined. However, the bottleneck in solar cells is the cost. Therefore, highly efficient, low-cost solar cell technology is the “holy grail” for scientists and engineers. Not surprisingly, ‘Making Solar Energy Economical’ is one of the fourteen Grand Challenges identified by the U.S. National Academy of Engineering. Dr. Nitin Padture, Professor of Engineering at Brown University, uses his expertise in materials science and engineering to contribute towards solving the world’s energy problems. His main motivation is to be able to perform basic and applied materials research that will have a lasting impact on the global community. Using his nearly twenty-five years of experience as a materials researcher, Prof. Padture is likely to make significant contributions that will be monumental for energy use worldwide.

With an impressive combination of expertise in materials synthesis/processing, characterization, properties-measurements, Prof. Padture is seeking solutions to answer some of the most challenging scientific questions with a refreshing perspective. Prof. Padture firmly believes that “all wonderful things come out of basic science.” Therefore, his interests are specifically targeted at the basic science required for future technological applications. Thus far, he and his team have made some key advances in the processing of a new type of breakthrough solar cell -- perovskite solar cell -- that is potentially low-cost and highly efficient compared to other emerging solar cell technologies. Also, they can be made colorful and semitransparent for integration into building architecture. Additional research will help elucidate the underlying scientific principles to improve existing processes or create new ones and demonstrate feasibility of scaling the process.

Current research includes:

• Processing Innovation: Prof. Padture and his team are developing new materials and processes for solar cells called perovskite solar cells. It is their hope that with improved processes for creating these cells, they will provide a solution to efficient and inexpensive solar cell technologies. Thus, Prof. Padture’s materials science could be a necessary step towards sustainable energy.

• A Multidisciplinary Approach: Prof. Padture’s research is made possible by the interdisciplinary approach of his lab. By approaching solar energy solutions from disciplines including physics, chemistry, electrical engineering, and materials science he and his team are illuminating new ways to approach the energy crisis.