A novel technique developed by an international team of scientists could simplify the creation of efficient and durable perovskite solar cells, renowned for their exceptional light-absorbing crystalline structure, providing an impressive 21.59% conversion efficiency. Unlike traditional silicon solar cells, next-generation solar materials are not only more cost-effective and sustainable but also face challenges in achieving durability under real-world conditions.
Perovskite technology shows promise as it allows for room-temperature manufacturing with reduced energy consumption compared to traditional silicon materials, making it a more affordable and sustainable option. However, the leading materials for these devices, hybrid organic-inorganic metal halides, contain organic elements vulnerable to moisture, oxygen, and heat, leading to rapid performance degradation when exposed to real-world conditions.
One solution lies in turning to all-inorganic perovskite materials like cesium lead iodide, which possesses excellent electrical properties and enhanced environmental resilience. Nevertheless, this material has multiple phases with different crystalline structures, making it prone to converting to an undesirable non-photoactive phase at room temperature, leading to defects and efficiency loss in solar cells.
To address this issue, the scientists combined the two photoactive polymorphs of cesium lead iodide to create a phase-heterojunction, effectively suppressing the transformation to the undesirable phase. Heterojunctions, formed by layering different semiconductor materials with dissimilar optoelectronic properties, enhance energy absorption from the sun and boost electricity conversion efficiency.
This innovative approach resulted in a solar cell device achieving a 21.59% power conversion efficiency, among the highest reported for this type of method, with exceptional stability. Even after 200 hours of storage under ambient conditions, the devices retained more than 90% of their initial efficiency.
The research shows the potential for developing large perovskite solar cell modules and assessing their stability accurately, indicating a significant step toward more efficient and sustainable solar energy solutions. Additionally, computer simulations were conducted using the Roar Supercomputer at Penn State, with support from the National Research Foundation of Korea.
Original article: Sawanta S. Mali, Jyoti V. Patil, Jiang-Yang Shao, Yu-Wu Zhong, Sachin R. Rondiya, Nelson Y. Dzade, Chang Kook Hong. Phase-heterojunction all-inorganic perovskite solar cells surpassing 21.5% efficiency. Nature Energy, 2023; 8 (9): 989 DOI: 10.1038/s41560-023-01310-y
Source: ScienceDaily
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