Lead Halide Perovskite is emerging quickly as a promising material for the future solar cellsthanks to their inherent good optoelectrical properties along with their cheap and facile fabri-cation. However, their main drawback before commercialization is their weak stability. In thiswork, a novel carbon-coated perovskite quantum dot has been synthesized, and is to the extentof our knowledge, for the first time. The coated perovskite quantum dots show a remarkable in-creased stability under different conditions while in solution. Their photoluminescence intensityalso increased as time went on, exceeding that of the uncoated perovskite quantum dots aftera few weeks. These coated perovskite quantum dots, while not fully characterized and thusnot fully understood show a promising way on how to combat the low stability in perovskites.Further, Copper/Copper(I)Iodide core/shell nanowires were synthesized as a transparent inte-grated hole transport layer/electrode for solar cells. While limited due to the low controlledfabrication process used, they providing a solid base for further research on the material to beused in solar cells. / Bly-halid perovskite har snabbt utvecklats och visar sig vara ett lovande material till framti-dens solceller tack vare dess optoelektriska egenskaper samt dess billiga och lätta tillverkn-ingsprocess. Dock, så brister materialet på grund av dess dåliga stabilitet innan de kan kommer-sialieras fullt ut. I detta projekt har kol-överdragen perovskite kvantprickar framställts, och ärtill den omfattning vi besitter, för första gången. De coatade perovskite kvantprickarna visade enförvånadsvärd stabilitet under olika tillstånd, och även en ökning i dess photoluminescens efternågra veckor. Dessa kvantprickar, dock ej ännu fullt förstådda och mer karaktärisering krävs, ärett lovande alternativ till att lösa perovskitens låga stabilitet. Vidare har koppar/koppar(I)jodidcore/shell nanotrådar tillverkats som en transparent integrerar håltransport material/elektrodför solceller med goda egenskaper. Trotts sin begränsning i den framställningsprocess som an-vändes ger dem en lovande bas för framtida forskning på materialet.

<p>Katalytisk förbränning är en lovande teknik för användning vid kraftgenerering, särskilt för</p><p>gasturbiner. Genom att använda katalytisk förbränning kan man nå mycket låga emissioner av kväveoxider</p><p>(NOX), kolmonoxid (CO) och oförbrända kolväten (UHC) samtidigt, vilket är svårt vid</p><p>konventionell förbränning. Förutom att man erhåller låga emissioner, kan katalytisk förbränning stabilisera</p><p>förbränningen och kan därmed användas för att uppnå stabil förbränning för gaser med låga</p><p>värmevärden. Denna avhandling behandlar huvudsakligen högtemperaturdelen av den katalytiska</p><p>förbränningskammaren. Kraven på denna del har visat sig svåra att nå. För att den katalytiska förbränningskammaren</p><p>ska kunna göras till ett alternativ till den konventionella, måste katalysatorer</p><p>med bättre stabilitet och aktivitet utvecklas.</p><p>Målet med denna avhandling har varit att utveckla katalysatorer med högre aktivitet och stabilitet,</p><p>lämpliga för högtemperaturdelen av en katalytisk förbränningskammare för förbränning av naturgas.</p><p>En mikroemulsionsbaserad framställningsmetod utvecklades för att undersöka om den kunde ge</p><p>katalysatorer med bättre stabilitet och aktivitet. Bärarmaterial som är kända för sin stabilitet, magnesia</p><p>och hexaaluminat, framställdes med den nya metoden. Mikroemulsionsmetoden användes också</p><p>för att impregnera de framställda materialen med de mer aktiva materialen perovskit (LaMnO3) och</p><p>ceriumdioxid (CeO2). Det visade sig att mikroemulsionsmetoden kan användas för att framställa katalysatorer</p><p>med bättre aktivitet jämfört med de konventionella framställningsmetoderna. Genom att</p><p>använda mikroemulsionen för att lägga på aktiva material på bäraren erhölls också en högre aktivitet</p><p>jämfört med konventionella beläggningsstekniker.</p><p>Eftersom katalysatorerna ska användas under lång tid i förbräningskammaren utfördes också en</p><p>åldringsstudie. Som jämförelse användes en av de mest stabila materialen som rapporterats i litteraturen:</p><p>LMHA (mangan-substituerad lantan-hexaaluminat). Resultaten visade att LMHA deaktiverade</p><p>mycket mer jämfört med flera av katalysatorerna innehållande ceriumdioxid på hexaaluminat som</p><p>framställts med den utvecklade mikroemulsionstekniken.</p> / <p>Catalytic combustion is a promising technology for power applications, especially gas turbines.</p><p>By using catalytic combustion ultra low emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO_X), carbon monoxide (CO)</p><p>and unburned hydrocarbons (UHC) can be reached simultaneously, which is very difficult with conventional</p><p>combustion technologies. Besides achieving low emission levels, catalytic combustion can</p><p>stabilize the combustion and thereby be used to obtain stable combustion with low heating-value</p><p>gases. This thesis is focused on the high temperature part of the catalytic combustor. The level of</p><p>performance demanded on this part has been proven hard to achieve. In order to make the catalytic</p><p>combustor an alternative to the conventional flame combustor, more stable catalysts with higher activity</p><p>have to be developed.</p><p>The objective of this work was to develop catalysts with higher activity and stability, suitable</p><p>for the high-temperature part of a catalytic combustor fueled by natural gas. A microemulsion-based</p><p>preparation method was developed for this purpose in an attempt to increase the stability and activity</p><p>of the catalysts. Supports known for their stability, magnesia and hexaaluminate, were prepared using</p><p>the new method. The microemulsion method was also used to impregnate the prepared material with</p><p>the more active materials perovskite (LaMnO₃) and ceria (CeO₂). It was shown that the microemulsion</p><p>method could be used to prepare catalysts with better activity compared to the conventional</p><p>methods. Furthermore, by using the microemulsion to apply active materials onto the support a</p><p>significantly higher activity was obtained than when using conventional impregnation techniques.</p><p>Since the catalysts will operate in the catalytic combustor for extended periods of time under</p><p>harsh conditions, an aging study was performed. One of the most stable catalysts reported in the</p><p>literature, LMHA (manganese-substituted lanthanum hexaaluminate), was included in the study for</p><p>comparison purposes. The results show that LMHA deactivated much more strongly compared to</p><p>several of the catalysts consisting of ceria supported on lanthanum hexaaluminate prepared by the</p><p>developed microemulsion method.</p>

This thesis studies the degradation of perovskite photovoltaic cells placed in atmospheres of different moisture. Samples with inverse structure: ITO/ PEDOT:PSS/ CH3NH3PbI3–XClX / PC70BM/ Ca/ Al were prepared. Electrical characteristics were measured for 2 months and similar degradation trend was observed for all the samples. Perovskite cell efficiency PCE decreased to 20 % of the initial value in t80= 46±3 days in laboratory, t80=23±1$ days in nitrogen atmosphere and t80=25,7±0,6 dní days in dry atmosphere. For the initial 27 days of the experiment, a faster degradation linked with the decrease of ISC, FF and VOC was observed. After this period, the value of FF has stabilised at 0,777±0,009 % and the value of VOC at 0,70±0,02 % of their original value (in the laboratory atmosphere). Additional fall of PCE resulted only from the decrease of ISC and was slower than in the initial period. From the results acquired, it has emerged that during the experiment, the cell encapsulation provided a sufficient barrier against outer moisture. Residual moisture present in the sctructure, was labeled as the source of the degradation. The moisture is believed to enter with the hygroscopic material PEDOT:PSS during the samples preparation procedure. During the degradation, absorption measurements of photovoltaic cells were executed. The absorption spectra didn't change. That indicates, that the decrease of ISC is not caused by the reduction of light absorption. The thesis also studied the degradation of perovskite solar cells under illumination. The samples were exposed to UV radiation for 55,5 hours. The PCE time of decrease to 20 % of the initial value was t80 = 6±2 days. It was revealed, that UV radiation significantly accelerates the decrease of ISC.

Perovskit-Oxide weisen eine große Bandbreite an physikalischen Eigenschaften bei gleichzeitig hoher struktureller Qualität in kleinsten Dimensionen auf. Die dramatischen Veränderungen ihrer Eigenschaften bei nur geringer Variation der stöchiometrischen Zusammensetzung sind sowohl für ein tieferes physikalisches Verständnis als auch für mögliche Anwendungsperspektiven interessant. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde der Einfluss von Ladungsübertragung an Grenz- flächen, Anisotropiemodifikation durch Verspannung und Oberflächeneffekte sowie magnetische und strukturelle Kopplung untersucht. Aufgrund ihrer kontrastierenden Eigenschaften im Hinblick auf Ferromagnetismus und Ladungstransport wurden dotiertes Lanthanmanganat und Strontiumruthenat (SRO) für die Untersuchungen ausgewählt. Durch ihre hervorragenden Wachstumseigenschaften mit fehlerlosen Grenzflächen auf atomarer Ebene erlauben sie als Modellsystem die Untersuchung elektronischer, magnetischer und struktureller Kopplung in Perovskit-Oxiden – mit folgenden Ergebnissen: Durch Ladungsübertragung an Grenzflächen wird Ferromagnetismus in Schichten von weniger als vier Einheitszellen in Manganaten stabilisiert. Die mikroskopische Struktur der Systeme kann aus der Analyse der durch die Anisotropie bedingten Symmetrie der winkelabhängigen Magnetotransport- messungen erschlossen werden. Bei abnehmender Schichtdicke verringert sich die intrinsische orthorhombische Symmetrie in SRO zugunsten einer tetragonalen aufgrund der Symmetriebrechung an der Grenzfläche. Die Untersuchungen des anormalen Hall Effekts unterstreichen seine Tensor-Natur und zeigen eine Abhängigkeit des Vorzeichens sowohl von der magnetischen Anisotropie als auch der mikroskopischen Schichtqualität. Die Beobachtung einer Anisotropie oberhalb der Übergangstemperatur von SRO in Manganatschichten einer Dicke von zwei bis sechs Einheitszellen weist auf eine strukturelle Kopplung über die Sauerstoffoktaederrotationen hin. Die komplexe Wechselwirkung zwischen antiferromagnetischer Kopplung und schichtdickenabhängiger Anisotropie und dem magnetischen Moment werden in einem 2-Schichten-Modell beschrieben. Übergitter mit Einzelschichten von weniger als drei Einheitszellen lassen sich nicht mehr mit individuellen Einzelschichten beschreiben sondern stellen einen künstlichen Ferrimagneten dar. / Perovskite oxides show a range of physical properties in combination with high structural quality in small dimensions. The dramatic change of their properties upon small variation in stoichiometry or external influences as pressure/strain are interesting for both a deeper understanding of fundamental condensed matter physics as well as electronic applications. In the present thesis the influence of charge transfer at interfaces, modification of the magnetic anisotropy by strain and surface effects, as well as magnetic and structural coupling was studied. In virtue of their contrasting ferromagnetic and transport properties, charge doped lanthanum manganite and strontium ruthenate (SRO) were chosen for this study. Their superior growth properties allowing atomically flat defect free interfaces make them a model system to study electronic magnetic and structural coupling phenomena in perovskite oxides − with the following findings: Charge transfer at interfaces stabilizes ferromagnetism in single layers of manganites down to one unit cell thickness similar to finite size scaling in ordinary transition metal ferromagnets. The microscopic structure of crystalline layers can be obtained from an analysis of the symmetries present in angle dependent magnetotransport measurements, which are determined by the anisotropy. Upon thickness reduction, the intrinsic orthorhombic symmetry in SRO is reduced in favour of a tetragonal one owing to the symmetry breaking at the interface. Studies on the anomalous Hall effect underline its tensorial nature and show a sign dependence on both magnetic anisotropy and microstructural quality. The observation of an in-plane anisotropy in manganite layers in the thickness range of two to six unit cells indicates a structural coupling via the oxygen octahedra. The complex interplay of antiferromagnetic coupling and layer thickness dependent anisotropy and magnetic moment are described in a bilayer model. Superlattices with individual layers of less than three unit cells cannot be described by the individual layer properties but represent an artificial ferrimagnet.

Katalytisk förbränning är en lovande teknik för användning vid kraftgenerering, särskilt för gasturbiner. Genom att använda katalytisk förbränning kan man nå mycket låga emissioner av kväveoxider (NOX), kolmonoxid (CO) och oförbrända kolväten (UHC) samtidigt, vilket är svårt vid konventionell förbränning. Förutom att man erhåller låga emissioner, kan katalytisk förbränning stabilisera förbränningen och kan därmed användas för att uppnå stabil förbränning för gaser med låga värmevärden. Denna avhandling behandlar huvudsakligen högtemperaturdelen av den katalytiska förbränningskammaren. Kraven på denna del har visat sig svåra att nå. För att den katalytiska förbränningskammaren ska kunna göras till ett alternativ till den konventionella, måste katalysatorer med bättre stabilitet och aktivitet utvecklas. Målet med denna avhandling har varit att utveckla katalysatorer med högre aktivitet och stabilitet, lämpliga för högtemperaturdelen av en katalytisk förbränningskammare för förbränning av naturgas. En mikroemulsionsbaserad framställningsmetod utvecklades för att undersöka om den kunde ge katalysatorer med bättre stabilitet och aktivitet. Bärarmaterial som är kända för sin stabilitet, magnesia och hexaaluminat, framställdes med den nya metoden. Mikroemulsionsmetoden användes också för att impregnera de framställda materialen med de mer aktiva materialen perovskit (LaMnO3) och ceriumdioxid (CeO2). Det visade sig att mikroemulsionsmetoden kan användas för att framställa katalysatorer med bättre aktivitet jämfört med de konventionella framställningsmetoderna. Genom att använda mikroemulsionen för att lägga på aktiva material på bäraren erhölls också en högre aktivitet jämfört med konventionella beläggningsstekniker. Eftersom katalysatorerna ska användas under lång tid i förbräningskammaren utfördes också en åldringsstudie. Som jämförelse användes en av de mest stabila materialen som rapporterats i litteraturen: LMHA (mangan-substituerad lantan-hexaaluminat). Resultaten visade att LMHA deaktiverade mycket mer jämfört med flera av katalysatorerna innehållande ceriumdioxid på hexaaluminat som framställts med den utvecklade mikroemulsionstekniken. / Catalytic combustion is a promising technology for power applications, especially gas turbines. By using catalytic combustion ultra low emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOX), carbon monoxide (CO) and unburned hydrocarbons (UHC) can be reached simultaneously, which is very difficult with conventional combustion technologies. Besides achieving low emission levels, catalytic combustion can stabilize the combustion and thereby be used to obtain stable combustion with low heating-value gases. This thesis is focused on the high temperature part of the catalytic combustor. The level of performance demanded on this part has been proven hard to achieve. In order to make the catalytic combustor an alternative to the conventional flame combustor, more stable catalysts with higher activity have to be developed. The objective of this work was to develop catalysts with higher activity and stability, suitable for the high-temperature part of a catalytic combustor fueled by natural gas. A microemulsion-based preparation method was developed for this purpose in an attempt to increase the stability and activity of the catalysts. Supports known for their stability, magnesia and hexaaluminate, were prepared using the new method. The microemulsion method was also used to impregnate the prepared material with the more active materials perovskite (LaMnO3) and ceria (CeO2). It was shown that the microemulsion method could be used to prepare catalysts with better activity compared to the conventional methods. Furthermore, by using the microemulsion to apply active materials onto the support a significantly higher activity was obtained than when using conventional impregnation techniques. Since the catalysts will operate in the catalytic combustor for extended periods of time under harsh conditions, an aging study was performed. One of the most stable catalysts reported in the literature, LMHA (manganese-substituted lanthanum hexaaluminate), was included in the study for comparison purposes. The results show that LMHA deactivated much more strongly compared to several of the catalysts consisting of ceria supported on lanthanum hexaaluminate prepared by the developed microemulsion method. / QC 20101104

This PhD thesis presents investigations of perovskite-related compounds in systems of interest for applications in components in solid oxide fuel cells. The compound compositions derive from substitutions in the parent compounds LaCoO3, LaCrO3 and SrFeO3. Novel phases La2Co1+z(MgxTi1-x)1-zO6 were synthesized and investigated with regard to structure, thermal expansion, electronic and magnetic properties. The study focused on the composition lines La2Co(MgxTi1-x)O6 (z=0), where the oxidation state of Co nominally changes from +2 (x=0.0) to +3 (x=0.5), and La2Co1+z(Mg0.5Ti0.5)1-zO6, with a varying fraction of Co3+ ions. XANES data show that the Co ions in the system have discrete oxidation states of +2 and +3. The TEC increases with increasing x due to an increasing contribution from spin state transitions of the Co3+ ions. Novel compounds La2Cr(M2/3Nb1/3)O6 with M=Mg, Ni, Cu were synthesized and characterized with respect to structure and magnetic properties. XRPD and NPD data indicate Pbnm symmetry; however, SAED patterns and HREM images indicate a P21/n symmetry for M=Mg, and Cu. The magnetic measurements results were rationalized using the Goodenough-Kanamori rules. Oxygen-deficient phases with x≥0.63 in SrxY1-xFeO3-δ and Sr0.75Y0.25Fe1-yMyO3-δ (M=Cr, Mn, Ni and y=0.2, 0.33, 0.5), were synthesized and characterized with respect to structure, oxygen content, thermogravimetry, TEC, conductivity and magnetic properties. Powder patterns of phases agree with cubic  perovskite structures. NPD data for x=0.75 reveal anisotropic displacement for the O atom, related to local effects from Fe3+/Fe4+ ions. SAED patterns for x=0.75 reveal the presence of an incommensurate modulation. The compounds start to lose oxygen in air at ~ 400°C. The TEC up to ~400°C for x=0.75 is ~10.5 ppm/K and increase to ~17.5 ppm/K at higher temperatures. The conductivity for x=0.91 is 164 S/cm at 400°C. Partial substitution of Fe by Cr, Mn or Ni does not increase the conductivity or decrease TEC.

Die Anpassung der Bandlücke und die Herstellung mittels lösungsbasierter Prozesse charakterisieren Metallhalogenid-Perowskite. Sie sind vielversprechend für die Anwendung in optoelektronischen Bauteilen, die die Abscheidung von hochwertigen Dünnschichten erfordern. Deren Qualität hängt stark vom Kristallisationsverhalten ab, welches durch die Komposition der Lösung bestimmt ist. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, Korrelationen im Präkursor-Prozess-Eigenschaftsraum von Metallhalogenid-Perowskit zu bewerten und Formierungsprozesse zu rationalisieren. Phasenreinheit, Morphologie und Absorptionseigenschaften zeichnen die Qualität der Perowskit-Dünnschichten aus. Die Optimierung der Herstellung von hochwertigen Filmen über einen breiten Bandlückenbereich wird zuerst beleuchtet. Die Rationalisierung der Formierungsprozesse erweist sich als fundamental, um reproduzierbare Präparationsroutinen für hochwertige Filme zu entwickeln. Anschließend wird ein optischer in-situ Aufbau zur Rationalisierung von Formierungsprozessen vorgestellt. Abhängig vom Halogenidverhältnis in der MAPb(IxBr1-x)3-Reihe werden verschiedene Formierungswege eingeschlagen. Während sich das reine Bromid direkt und Iodid reiche Perowskite über die intermediäre Solvatphase (MA)2(DMSO)2Pb3I8 bilden, bilden sich gemischte Halogenide zwischen 0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.6 über beide Wege. Die Formierung über konkurrierende Wege erklärt die kompositorische Heterogenität der gemischten Halogenidproben. Zuletzt werden Formierungsprozesse von Bromid-Perowskiten rationalisiert und Abhängigkeiten der Kinetik von der Lösungskonzentration zeigen sich. Niedrige Konzentrationen führen zu einer beschleunigten Kristallisation und Schichtdickenabnahme des Nassfilms. Dieser Trend wird durch geringere Kolloidwechselwirkungen und niedriger koordinierte Blei-Bromid-Komplexe in verdünnten Lösungen erklärt. Die Korrelation im Präkursor-Prozess-Eigenschaftsraum hebt die Herstellung von Perowskiten aus chemischer Sicht zu einem nicht-trivialen Prozess. / Bandgap tunability by ion substitution and the fabrication due to solution-based processes characterize metal halide perovskites. They are promising for application in various thin-film opto-electronic devices, which require the deposition of high-quality thin-films. The quality strongly depends on the crystallization behavior predetermined by the precursors in solution. This thesis aims to evaluate correlations in the vast precursor-process-property space of metal halide perovskite and rationalizes formation processes. Phase purity, morphology, and absorption properties determine the perovskite thin-film quality. The first part focuses on optimizing the perovskite fabrication to obtain high-quality films over a wide bandgap range. From high-quality films, the exciton binding energy is determined. The rationalization of formation processes proves essential to design reproducible preparation routines for high-quality films. The second part presents an optical in-situ setup to rationalize perovskite formation processes. Different formation pathways are taken, depending on the halide ratio in the MAPb(IxBr1-x)3 series. While the pure bromide forms directly and iodide-rich perovskites form via the intermediate solvate phase (MA)2(DMSO)2Pb3I8, mixed halides between 0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.6 form via both. Such a heterogeneous formation process via two competing pathways rationalizes the compositional heterogeneity of mixed halide samples. The third part focuses on rationalizing the formation process of pure bromide perovskites and reveals a dependency of the formation kinetics on the solution concentration. Lower concentrations lead to accelerated crystallization kinetics and increase wet-film thinning. Lower colloid interaction and lower coordinated lead-bromide complexes in diluted solutions explain this trend. The strong correlation in the precursor-process-property space raises the preparation of perovskites via spin-coating to a non-trivial process from a chemical point of view.

Efterfrågan på bättre och mer hållbart material ökar. Mer effektivt material kommer att behövas för att möta den ökande, globala efterfrågan. Hybrida organiska-oorganiska material är en typ av material som har varit av stort intresse nyligen, och kan beskrivas som en typ av material som består av både organiska och oorganiska komponenter. Denna avhandling har fokuserat på hybrida organiska-oorganiska material inspirerade av den klassiska perovskitstrukturen ABX3, där komponent A är en organisk katjon, komponent B är en divalent metalkatjon och komponent X är en anjon. Hybrida organiska-oorganiska material som är utgår från den klassiska perovskitstrukturen kan ha olika funktionella egenskaper och en bred variation av tänkbara applikationer. Några exempel på dessa egenskaper och möjliga applikationer inkluderar god fotokonduktivitet för solceller, utmärkt emissionsegenskaper för ljusdioder och justerbara dielektriska egenskaper för elektroniska växlar och sensorer.  De fysiska egenskaperna av det hybrida organiska-oorganiska materialet beror på kristallstrukturen av materialet, som i sig bestäms av valet av komponenter. På grund av de många möjligheter av organiska och oorganiska komponenter så finns det möjlighet att syntetisera helt nya hybrida organiska-oorganiska föreningar som kan ha nya eller förbättrade fysiska egenskaper.  Nuvarande hybrida organiska-oorganiska material som utgår från perovskitstrukturen använder huvudsakligen bly som divalent metalkatjon, och det beror på att den ger den bästa funktionella effekten. Blys toxicitet är dock en stor nackdel för nuvarande blybaserade hybrid oorganiska material. Möjligheten att ersätta bly med en annan divalent metall har undersökts under detta projekt. I denna avhandling så har den organiska katjonen cyclohexylammonium (CHA) varit i fokus som den organiska komponenten. Målet med detta examensarbete var att designa, syntetisera och karakterisera nytt hybrid organisk-oorganiskt material. De hybrida organiska-oorganiska föreningarna CHAZnBr3 och (CHA)2ZnBr4 syntetiserades för den första gången, så vitt författaren vet, och kommer vara i fokus i denna avhandling. De två nya hybrida organiska-oorganiska föreningarna blev strukturellt karakteriserade med X-ray Diffraction (XRD) och termiskt karakteriserade med Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) och Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC).  Den första föreningen, CHAZnBr3, kunde bestämmas att vara ortorombisk vid 298 K. Föreningen bestämdes vara termisk stabil upp till 490 K, och genomgår en fasövergång vid 445 K. Den andra föreningen, (CHA)2ZnBr4, kunde inte bestämmas strukturellt vid varken 100 K eller 298 K. Föreningen bestämdes vara termisk stabil upp till 490 K, och genomgår en fasövergång vid 230 K. Ytterligare karakterisering krävs för att bättre förstå egenskaperna hos dessa föreningar och deras möjliga användningsområden. / The demand for better and more sustainable material is increasing. More efficient materials will be needed to meet the growing global need. Hybrid organic-inorganic materials are one type of materials that have been of great interest recently, which can be described as a class of materials that mix organic and inorganic components. This thesis focused on hybrid organic-inorganic materials inspired by the classical perovskite crystal structure ABX3, where component A is an organic cation, component B is a divalent metal cation and component X is an anion. Hybrid organic-inorganic materials based on the classical perovskite structure may have various functional properties and may have a broad range of potential applications. Some examples of those properties as well as some and possible applications include good photoconductivity and power conversion efficiency for photovoltaic devices, excellent emission properties for light emitting diodes and tunable dielectric properties for electronic switches and sensors.  The physical properties of the hybrid organic-inorganic material are determined by the crystal structure of the material, which in turn will be decided by the choice of components. With the many possible choices for organic and inorganic components, there is an opportunity to synthesize completely new hybrid organic-inorganic compounds that may display new or superior physical properties. Current hybrid organic-inorganic materials based on the perovskite crystal structure mainly use lead as the divalent metal, since it currently gives the best performance. The toxicity of lead is a major drawback for current lead-based hybrid organic-inorganic materials. The possibility to replace lead with another divalent metal has been explored during this project. For this thesis, the organic cation cyclohexylammonium (CHA) has been of focus as the organic component. The aim of this thesis was to design, synthesize and characterize novel hybrid organic-inorganic compounds. The hybrid organic-inorganic compounds CHAZnBr3 and (CHA)2ZnBr4 were synthesized for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, and will be the focus of this thesis. The two new hybrid organic-inorganic compounds were structurally characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and thermally characterized by Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC).  The first compound, CHAZnBr3, could be determined to be orthorhombic at 298 K. The compound was found to be thermally stable up 490 K, and to undergo a phase transition at 445 K.  The second compound, (CHA)2ZnBr4, could not be fully structurally solved at either 100 K or 298 K. The compound was found to be thermally stable up to 490 K, and to undergo a phase transition at 230 K.  Further characterization will be needed to better understand the properties of these two compounds and their possible applications.

Perovskite based materials have great potentials for various energy applications and the search for new materials for uses in SOFCs has largely been concentrated to this class of compounds. In this search, we have studied perovskite phases in the system La2Co1+z(Ti1-xMgx)1-zO6, with 0  x 0.9 and z = 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6. Crystal structures were characterized by XRD and, for selected compositions, also by NPD and SAED. They exhibit with increasing x, as well as increasing z, a progressive increase in symmetry from monoclinic to orthorhombic to rhombohedral. The main focus in this work has been on the investigation of structure-property relations for compositions with 0.0 x 0.5 and z = 0. The nominal oxidation state of Co increases for these with increasing x, from Co2+ for x = 0 to Co3+ for x = 0.5. Magnetic measurements and XANES studies showed that the average spin state of Co changes linearly with increasing x, up to x = 0.5, in accordance with varying proportions of Co with two fixed oxidation states, i.e. Co2+ and Co3+. The data suggests that the Co3+ ions have an IS spin state or a mixture of LS and HS spin states for all compositions with nominally only Co2+ and Co3+ ions, possibly with the exception of the composition with x = 0.1, 0.2 and z = 0, for which the data indicate that the spin state might be HS. The XANES data indicate furthermore that for the perovskite phases with z = 0 and x &gt; 0.5, which in the absence of O atom vacancies contain formally Co4+, the highest oxidation state of Co is Co3+, implying that the substitution of Ti4+ by Mg2+ for x ³ 0.5 effects an oxidation of O2- ions rather than an oxidation of Co3+ ions. The thermal expansion was found to increase nearly linearly with increasing oxidation state of Co. This agrees well with findings in previous studies and is attributable to an increase in the ionic radius of Co3+ ions with increasing temperature, due to a thermal excitation from a LS to IS or LS/HS spin states. High temperature electronic conductivity measurements indicate that the electronic conductivity increases with an increase of both relative and absolute amount of Co3+. The latter can be attributed to an increase in the number of Co-O-Co connections. Additional high temperature magnetic measurements for selected samples, whose susceptibilities did not follow a Curie law behaviour up to room temperature, showed effective magnetic moments that did approach plateaus even at high temperatures (900 K). Interpretations of these data are, however, hindered by the samples losing oxygen during the applied heating-cooling cycle. The present study has shown that the investigated system is suitable for further studies, of more fundamental character, which could provide further insight of the structure-property relationships that depend on the oxidation state of Co. / Studies of cobalt based perovskites for cathode materials in solid oxide fuel cells.