Universitat Jaume I (Spain)

Universitat Jaume I is currently the leading higher education and research center in the north of the Valencian Community, Spain, and it is continually seeking to enhance the social, economic and cultural development of the society in which it is immersed through the creation and transmission of knowledge. Today, Universitat Jaume I has consolidated itself as a dynamic and enterprising university. There are currently 28 degree and diploma courses available to about 13 500 students. These figures allow the University to offer its students personalized attention and to remain free of the problems of overcrowding so often suffered by other universities. Its new and attractive single campus, which is well linked with the town of Castelló, helps to maintain this policy by encouraging closer human relationships.

The Group of Optoelectronic and Photovoltaic Devices was founded by Prof. Juan Bisquert. From 1995 the group has developed theoretical and experimental research in the physical aspects of electrochemical systems, optoelectronic devices and relaxation phenomena in solids. The research carried out in physical electrochemistry combines the fundamental study of electrons and ions in solids (and solid/liquid interfaces), with the conditions of operation and improvement of efficiency of practical devices based on heterogeneous materials. A predominant line is the photelectrochemical properties of nanostructured semiconductor electrodes (mainly TiO2), in relation to solar cells based on dye or semiconductor sensitization of a wide band gap nanostructured semiconductor (Grätzel cells) and organic solar cells. We study the modelling and interpretation of frequency domain techniques such as impedance. The materials studied are predominantly semiconductors, organic polymers and ceramics. Another important research lines are theoretical simulation of photovoltaics processes, synthesis and preparation of new materials for photovoltaics, study of light harvesting, charge injection transport and recombination in photovoltaic devices, water splitting and solar fuels, artificial photosynthesis, microbial fuel cells, biophysical devices and batteries. In the period 2007-2012 the group of optoelectronic and photovoltaic devices at UJI attracted funding for more than 3.5 M€.

List of recent publications related to the project:

• Pablo P. Boix, et al. From Flat to Nanostructured Photovoltaics: Balance Between Thickness of the Absorber and Charge Screening in Sensitized Solar Cells ACS Nano 6, 873-880 (2012)
• Taesup Song, et al. Quantum dot based heterostructures for unassisted photoelectrochemical hydrogen generation Adv. Energy Mater, DOI:10.1002/aenm.201200255, (2012)
• R. Trevisan, et al. PEDOT Nanotube Arrays as High Performing Counter Electrodes for Dye Sensitized Solar Cells. Study of the Interactions Among Electrolytes and Counter Electrodes Adv. Energy Mater. 1, 781-784 (2011)
• V. Jovanovski, et al. A Sulfide/Polysulfide-Based Ionic Liquid Electrolyte for Quantum Dot-Sensitized Solar Cells J. Am. Chem. Soc. 133, 20156–20159 (2011)
• V. González Pedro, et al. Modeling High-Efficiency Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar Cells ACS Nano, 4, 5783–5790 (2010)

Web page: http://ujiapps.uji.es/institucional/