While doing some research on conversion of X-rays to electricity (LPPFusion will need to convert some % of X-rays emitted from the hydrogen boron fusion taking place in a continuously operating generator) I came across the following 2015 paper reporting results using methylammonium lead iodide CH3NH3PbI3 single crystals. Bolding is mine on the most interesting portion of the abstract. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/ipdf/10.1021/acs.jpcc.5b07876
"We report on photocurrent generation by X-ray irradiation in methylammonium lead iodide CH3NH3PbI3 single crystals. We observed 75% of charge collection efficiency in millimeter sized samples. This efficiency is partially due to the high photon absorption coefficient and X-ray beam stopping power of our lead containing material. The material shows a less than 20% decrease in its performance up to 40 Sv of total X-ray dose, which represents a very good stability. Moreover, our Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport calculations indicate that energetic particle radiation can also be harvested by CH3NH3PbI3. These properties are compared to CH3NH3SnI3 and PbI2. The possible application of these advantageous properties could be in simultaneous radiation protection and direct electricity production in environments with highly energetic background radiation."
PV cells that will be needed for Earth to Mars and back space flight which could absorb some% of the incoming high energy radiation seem to me like a fortuitous win - win. I don't believe this is a far out possibility as NASA seems to be supporting or monitoring some of the research going on as shown in this short article.
Development of Perovskite-Based Photovoltaic Cells for Extraterrestrial Energy Generation
"We report on photocurrent generation by X-ray irradiation in methylammonium lead iodide CH3NH3PbI3 single crystals. We observed 75% of charge collection efficiency in millimeter sized samples. This efficiency is partially due to the high photon absorption coefficient and X-ray beam stopping power of our lead containing material. The material shows a less than 20% decrease in its performance up to 40 Sv of total X-ray dose, which represents a very good stability. Moreover, our Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport calculations indicate that energetic particle radiation can also be harvested by CH3NH3PbI3. These properties are compared to CH3NH3SnI3 and PbI2. The possible application of these advantageous properties could be in simultaneous radiation protection and direct electricity production in environments with highly energetic background radiation."
PV cells that will be needed for Earth to Mars and back space flight which could absorb some% of the incoming high energy radiation seem to me like a fortuitous win - win. I don't believe this is a far out possibility as NASA seems to be supporting or monitoring some of the research going on as shown in this short article.
Development of Perovskite-Based Photovoltaic Cells for Extraterrestrial Energy Generation
