Miguel Angel Amado-Briseño

Metal-halide perovskite solar cells combine high photovoltaic efficiency with low-temperature solution processing, but their performance and durability remain sensitive to precursor coordination, nucleation, drying, grain-boundary formation, and interfacial degradation. This critical narrative review evaluates plant-derived secondary metabolites as process-active additives rather than assuming that biological origin alone confers sustainability or passivation. Evidence is organized for alkaloids and xanthines, polyphenols and phenolic acids, and terpenoids and carotenoids, with explicit separation of experimentally demonstrated mechanisms, computational support, molecular analogy, and design hypotheses. Carbonyl-mediated coordination provides the clearest mechanistic basis for caffeine and related xanthines, whereas selected phenolic compounds have been associated, in separate studies, with coordination, crystallization control, and suppression of Sn²⁺ oxidation. Direct photovoltaic evidence now includes selected monoterpenoids, the sesquiterpene lactone artemisinin, and carotenoids, although the results remain molecule- and process-specific and do not justify class-wide generalization. The review maps molecular descriptors onto precursor chemistry, coating and crystallization variables, film structure, recombination, ion migration, device performance, and stability. Translation beyond laboratory spin coating will require specification-controlled additives, standardized stability protocols, process-compatible formulations, and iterative computational–experimental screening. This evidence-based framework identifies secondary-metabolite scaffolds as a promising but molecule-specific platform for perovskite process engineering, whose sustainability benefit remains to be established through life-cycle assessment.

This work reports the synthesis of the organic–inorganic copper chloride perovskite (C₆H₅CH₂NH₃)₂[CuCl₄] and its application as an electrode material for lithium-ion batteries. Hybrid copper halide perovskites have emerged as environmentally friendly alternatives to lead-based systems due to their structural versatility and chemical stability; however, their electrochemical energy storage properties remain largely unexplored. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report investigating (C₆H₅CH₂NH₃)₂[CuCl₄] as an electrode material for lithium-ion batteries. The structural and morphological characteristics of the material were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and infrared spectroscopy (IR), confirming the formation of a layered perovskite structure. Electrochemical performance was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge–discharge measurements. The material delivered an initial specific capacity of 114 mAh g⁻¹ at a current density of 20 mA g⁻¹ and maintained a coulombic efficiency around 99% after 100 cycles, indicating good cycling stability. The electrochemical behavior suggests that the reversible redox activity of Cu species contributes significantly to the charge storage mechanism. Postmortem XRD analysis revealed that the original perovskite framework was only partially retained after cycling, as several characteristic diffraction peaks remained while others disappeared, indicating partial structural decomposition. These results highlight the potential of chlorocuprate-based hybrid perovskites as alternative electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

Lead-free titanium halide perovskites with the formula Cs2TiClxBr6−x were integrated into an ethylene–vinyl acetate (EVA) matrix to form hybrid perovskite thin films with tunable optoelectronic properties. Importantly, this work goes beyond compositional tuning by demonstrating that the polymer–perovskite hybrid architecture actively governs interfacial charge transport and polarization phenomena. Structural and optical characterization confirmed the formation of vacancy-ordered double perovskites with visible-light absorption and photoluminescence features associated with defect-mediated electronic relaxation. The electrical and photoinduced responses of the composites were investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy with symmetric fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)│EVA│FTO configurations. Upon illumination, the films exhibited a marked decrease in impedance, revealing the halide-dependent modulation of charge transport, interfacial polarization, and pseudocapacitive behavior. Mixed-halide compositions displayed improved electrical uniformity and reduced transport resistance compared to pristine EVA, indicating enhanced photoinduced charge dynamics. Hirshfeld surface analysis was employed as a structural descriptor to quantify halide surface exposure, thereby linking composition-dependent electronic localization to the observed photoelectrical response. As a functional demonstration of these charge dynamics, the hybrid films were also evaluated under photocatalytic conditions, where light-driven formate and hydrogen generation corroborated the effective charge separation inferred from impedance measurements.

Thermoset-like polymer composites based on poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) functionalized by post-polymerization CO₂ cycloaddition were synthesized and reinforced with varying contents of pecan nut shell (PNS, 10–30 wt%) as a lignocellulosic filler. The CO₂ fixation step, which converts the pendant epoxide groups of PGMA into pendant five-membered cyclic carbonates, was promoted by a new Ni(bpy)₃-templated hybrid lead bromide of empirical formula [Ni(bpy)₃Pb₃Br₈·(DMF)₂], whose crystal structure was solved by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The resulting materials were characterized by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). FTIR confirmed the partial conversion of epoxide groups into cyclic carbonates (ν =1794 and 1270 cm⁻¹) and the incorporation of the lignocellulosic phase. TGA showed a shift of the maximum decomposition temperature toward higher values (up to 418 °C in PGMA–CO₂–PNS) compared to neat PGMA, consistent with restricted segmental mobility imparted by the cyclic carbonate units and PNS filler. DSC revealed an upward shift of the glass transition and the suppression of melting transitions, supporting the formation of a crosslinked, thermoset-like network. SEM micrographs evidenced effective dispersion of PNS within the matrix and improved interfacial continuity at higher filler loadings. Overall, the combination of CO₂ valorization through cyclic-carbonate functionalization and lignocellulosic reinforcement provides an accessible route to sustainable thermoset-like composites with enhanced thermal stability, suitable for applications with low structural demands.

Recent advancements in perovskite-type hybrid solar cells (PSCs) have driven significant interest due to their promising photovoltaic properties and potential to replace conventional silicon-based solar cells. In this work, we explore the use of N-[(3-dimethylamino) propyl] methacrylamide as an ionic additive in MAPbI3 PSCs with the structure fluorine-doped tin oxide/TiO2/perovskite/spiro-OMeTAD/Ag. This additive aims to enhance device stability by reducing surface defects and mitigating degradation under environmental conditions. Structural characterization through x-ray diffraction and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy demonstrates that the incorporation of methacrylamide improves the moisture resistance and structural integrity of the perovskite layer. Devices containing the additive exhibit reduced formation of PbI2, even after prolonged exposure to ambient conditions, significantly enhancing stability. These findings underscore the role of ionic additive engineering in passivating defects and preserving photovoltaic performance. This work highlights a practical approach to improving the durability of perovskite solar cells, contributing to the advancement of stable and efficient next-generation photovoltaic technologies.

In this work, two oligophenyleneimines type pentamers with terminal aldehydes, designated as DAFCHO (4,4′-((((((2,5-bis(octyloxy)-1,4-phenylene)bis(methanylylidene))bis(azanyl ylidene))bis(9H-fluorene-7,2-diyl))bis(azanylylidene))bis(methanylylidene))bis(2,5-bis(octyloxy) benzaldehyde)) and FDACHO (4,4′-((((((2,5-bis(octyloxy)-1,4-phenylene)bis(methanylylidene))bis (azanylylidene))bis(4,1-phenylene))bis(azanylylidene))bis(methanylylidene))bis(2,5-bis(octyloxy) benzaldehyde)) were synthesized by mechanochemistry method using 2,5-bis(octyloxy) terephtal aldehyde and 2,7-diaminofluorene or 1,4-phenylenediamine. All compounds were spectroscopically characterized using ¹H and ¹³C-NMR, FT-IR and mass spectrometry MALDITOF. The optical properties of the compounds were analyzed by UV-vis spectroscopy using different solvents. We observed that DAFCHO and FDACHO exhibit interesting photochromic properties when they are dissolved in chloroform and exposed to sunlight for 3, 5 and 10 min. The value of the energy band gap was calculated from the absorption spectra without irradiation E_gap(optical). It was 2.50 eV for DAFCHO in chloroform solution, and it decreased to 2.34 eV when it is in films. For FDACHO, it was 2.41 eV in solution and 2.27 eV in film. HOMO (Highest Occupied Molecular Orbital), LUMO (Lowest Unoccupied Molecular Orbital) and E_{gap(electrochemical)} values were obtained by electrochemical studies. The results indicate that the compounds can be considered as organic semiconductors since their values are 2.35 eV for DAFCHO and 2.06 eV for FDACHO. The structural and electronic properties of the compounds were corroborated with a DFT (Density Functional Theory) study.