Protective film on perovskite solar cells offers 1,000-hour durability in extreme heat and humidity

A brand new perovskite photo voltaic cell (PSC) demonstrates outstanding resilience even in excessive warmth situations, because of an revolutionary protecting movie. The analysis crew means that these findings characterize a major step towards commercialization by addressing thermal stability points.

A analysis crew, led by Professor Dong Suk Kim on the UNIST Graduate Faculty of Carbon Neutrality, in collaboration with Professor Tae Kyung Lee from Gyeongsang Nationwide College (GNU), has efficiently engineered a heat-resistant PSC able to withstanding high-temperature encapsulation processes.

This revolutionary photo voltaic cell demonstrated a outstanding preliminary effectivity of 25.56% and maintained over 85% of its preliminary effectivity after working beneath situations of 85°C and 85% relative humidity for as much as 1,000 hours. The findings are published within the journal Vitality & Environmental Science.

Perovskite photo voltaic cells, considered next-generation vitality options, theoretically possess greater efficiencies in changing daylight to electrical energy than standard silicon cells, whereas additionally being more cost effective. Though laboratory efficiencies have already surpassed 27%, stopping these cells from reaching commercialization has been primarily attributed to their warmth stability.

Not like silicon cells, which might tolerate the excessive encapsulation temperatures wanted to forestall moisture and oxygen from degrading the cell, perovskite cells have struggled beneath situations that exceed 110°C.

To beat these challenges, the analysis crew changed the traditional additive 4-tert-butylpyridine (tBP) with ethylene carbonate (EC) within the composition of the PSCs. Whereas tBP improves effectivity, it considerably lowers the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the outlet transport layer to beneath 80°C, compromising the steadiness of the cell in high-temperature environments. The glass transition represents the purpose at which the outlet transport layer turns into practically liquid.

The ensuing cell produced a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 25.56%—the very best amongst tBP-free photo voltaic cells. The effectivity remained nearly unchanged after present process the encapsulation course of. In assessments performed beneath worldwide requirements at 85°C and 85% relative humidity, the encapsulated cells exhibited distinctive sturdiness, sustaining 21.7% effectivity even after 1,000 hours. The glass transition temperature of the outlet transport layer was additionally elevated to 125°C.

Even when scaled as much as a module space of 100 cm², the photo voltaic cells maintained a high efficiency of twenty-two.14%. This achievement is attributed to the power of ethylene carbonate to uniformly dissolve lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) dopant, which reinforces cost transport efficiency within the gap transport layer, bettering total photo voltaic cell effectivity.

Professor Kim emphasised, “Through this research, we have developed a hole transport layer system that retains high efficiency while ensuring stability in high-temperature and high-humidity environments.” He added, “This represents a major step towards the sensible software of perovskite solar cells.”