Overview
Background
Biography: Dr. Peng Chen is an Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Early-Career Researcher Award (DECRA) Fellow in the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland. In 2020, he got his PhD degree from School of Chemical Engineering at UQ, before moving to AIBN for two consecutive fellowships: Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP) Research Fellow (2020-2022) and ARC DECRA Fellowship (2023-2025).
Research: Dr. Chen's research focuses on the development of low-cost and efficient thin-film photovoltaic technologies for renewable energy conversion and storage, including perovskite solar cells, quantum dot solar cells, and solar hydrogen production. In 2018, he pioneered the development of bilayer 2D-3D heterostructures for stable perovskite solar cells (Adv. Funct. Mater. 2018, 28, 1706923; citation: >750 times). In 2021, he participated in the design of ultrastable perovskite-MOF glassy composites for lighting applications (Science 2021, 374, 621). In late 2023, he led the team to achieve a certified world-record efficiency of 16.65% for lead-free perovskite solar cells (Nature Nanotechnology 2025). In the past 9 years at UQ, he has contributed to 59 peer-reviewed publications in top journals, including Science (×1), Nature Nanotechnology (×1), Nature Energy (×1), Nature Communications (×3), Advanced Materials (×3), Angewandte Chemie International Edition (×6), Journal of the American Chemistry Society (×1), Advanced Energy Materials (×4), ACS Nano (×3), Advanced Functional Materials (×4), Nano Energy (×3), etc. His publications have attracted >6300 citations with a H-index of 32 (Google Scholar). He has attracted over $3.6 million competitive research funds from ARC, ARENA, Federal Government, etc.
Teaching activities: Dr Chen is currently a lecturer of ENGY4000 Energy Systems and MATE7016 Materials for Energy Conversion and Storage in the faculty of EAIT.
Availability
- Dr Peng Chen is:
- Available for supervision
Qualifications
- Masters (Research) of Engineering, Shanghai University (上海大学)
- Doctor of Philosophy of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Lead-free perovskites for low-cost and efficient solar cells
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All-perovskite tandem solar cells for green hydrogen production
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Tin halide perovskite optoelectronics
Works
Search Professor Peng Chen’s works on UQ eSpace
2016
Journal Article
Recent advances in low-toxic lead-free metal halide perovskite materials for solar cell application
Zhang, Meng, Lyu, Miaoqiang, Chen, Peng, Hao, Mengmeng, Yun, Jung-Ho and Wang, Lianzhou (2016). Recent advances in low-toxic lead-free metal halide perovskite materials for solar cell application. Asia-Pacific Journal of Chemical Engineering, 11 (3), 392-398. doi: 10.1002/apj.1998
2014
Journal Article
Four-layer tin-carbon nanotube yolk-shell materials for high-performance lithium-ion batteries
Chen, Peng, Wu, Fengdan and Wang, Yong (2014). Four-layer tin-carbon nanotube yolk-shell materials for high-performance lithium-ion batteries. ChemSusChem, 7 (5), 1407-1414. doi: 10.1002/cssc.201301198
2013
Journal Article
Microwave-assisted solvothermal synthesis of 3D carnation-like SnS2 nanostructures with high visible light photocatalytic activity
Liu, Hong, Su, Yun, Chen, Peng and Wang, Yong (2013). Microwave-assisted solvothermal synthesis of 3D carnation-like SnS2 nanostructures with high visible light photocatalytic activity. Journal of Molecular Catalysis A: Chemical, 378, 285-292. doi: 10.1016/j.molcata.2013.06.021
2013
Journal Article
Interconnected tin disulfide nanosheets grown on graphene for li-ion storage and photocatalytic applications
Chen, Peng, Su, Yun, Liu, Hong and Wang, Yong (2013). Interconnected tin disulfide nanosheets grown on graphene for li-ion storage and photocatalytic applications. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 5 (22), 12073-12082. doi: 10.1021/am403905x
2013
Journal Article
Graphene wrapped SnCo nanoparticles for high-capacity lithium ion storage
Chen, Peng, Guo, Lei and Wang, Yong (2013). Graphene wrapped SnCo nanoparticles for high-capacity lithium ion storage. Journal of Power Sources, 222, 526-532. doi: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2012.09.026
2011
Journal Article
Carbon nanotubes grown in situ on graphene nanosheets as superior anodes for Li-ion batteries
Chen, Shuangqiang, Chen, Peng and Wang, Yong (2011). Carbon nanotubes grown in situ on graphene nanosheets as superior anodes for Li-ion batteries. Nanoscale, 3 (10), 4323. doi: 10.1039/c1nr10642b
2010
Journal Article
Graphene supported Sn–Sb@carbon core-shell particles as a superior anode for lithium ion batteries
Chen, Shuangqiang, Chen, Peng, Wu, Minghong, Pan, Dengyu and Wang, Yong (2010). Graphene supported Sn–Sb@carbon core-shell particles as a superior anode for lithium ion batteries. Electrochemistry Communications, 12 (10), 1302-1306. doi: 10.1016/j.elecom.2010.07.005
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Peng Chen is:
- Available for supervision
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Available projects
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All-perovskite tandem solar cells for efficient green hydrogen production
This project aims to design functional materials for the development high-performance and durable solar energy conversion devices, which enable efficient green solar hydrogen production to reduce fossil fuel consumption and alleviate environmental burden. The expected outcomes include advanced semiconducting materials, proof-of-concept solar-driven water electrolytic system with a high solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency, and cutting-edge knowledge in material science, physical chemistry, and nanotechnology. The success of this project expects to facilitate pilot-scale green hydrogen industry and thus position Australia at the frontier of advanced materials, clean energy, and renewable hydrogen supply technologies.
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Perovskite solar cells for Zn-Br flow batteries
Australia is an energy-intensive country, in terms of both production and consumption per capita. Solar energy storage technology, which can reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and alleviate environmental and climate change, will directly benefit the Australian economy. This project aims to develop a new solar energy storage technology by integrating a solar charging process with the flow battery system for better utilization of the abundant yet intermittently available sunlight. Expected outcomes include a new solar driven rechargeable technology with high solar to electricity efficiency, which have strong commercial potential and will help to position Australia at the forefront of solar energy storage device development. The outcomes of this research will also significantly contribute new knowledge in materials science, electrochemistry, and nanotechnology, where Australia enjoys a competitive advantage.
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Lead-free perovskites for non-toxic and low-cost photovoltaics
A new family of optical materials – known as “metal halide perovskites” – have emerged within solar cell research, providing strong potential to revolutionize the photovoltaic market by satisfying several central criteria; namely, simple and scalable fabrication, low manufacturing costs and excellent power conversion efficiency. Recent progress has, however, been largely driven by the development of lead-based (Pb) perovskites solar cells as the field avoids dealing with the intractable issue of lead-toxicity, which imposes understandable adoption hesitancy and impedes commercialization. This project aims to resolve the toxicity issue by developing high-performance lead-free compounds, based on chemically similar tin (Sn), covering fundamental materials science and device development, to validating cost-effective and large-scale fabrication techniques through pilot studies informed by industry standards.
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Lead-free perovskites for non-toxic and low-cost photovoltaics
A new family of optical materials – known as “metal halide perovskites” – have emerged within solar cell research, providing strong potential to revolutionize the photovoltaic market by satisfying several central criteria; namely, simple and scalable fabrication, low manufacturing costs and excellent power conversion efficiency. Recent progress has, however, been largely driven by the development of lead-based (Pb) perovskites solar cells as the field avoids dealing with the intractable issue of lead-toxicity, which imposes understandable adoption hesitancy and impedes commercialization. This project aims to resolve the toxicity issue by developing high-performance lead-free compounds, based on chemically similar tin (Sn), covering fundamental materials science and device development, to validating cost-effective and large-scale fabrication techniques through pilot studies informed by industry standards.
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Lead-free perovskites for eco-friendly and low-cost photovoltaics
A new family of optical materials – known as “metal halide perovskites” – have emerged within solar cell research, providing strong potential to revolutionize the photovoltaic market by satisfying several central criteria; namely, simple and scalable fabrication, low manufacturing costs and excellent power conversion efficiency. Recent progress has, however, been largely driven by the development of lead-based (Pb) perovskites solar cells as the field avoids dealing with the intractable issue of lead-toxicity, which imposes understandable adoption hesitancy and impedes commercialization. This project aims to resolve the toxicity issue by developing high-performance lead-free compounds, based on chemically similar tin (Sn), covering fundamental materials science and device development, to validating cost-effective and large-scale fabrication techniques through pilot studies informed by industry standards.
Media
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