Researchers propose path to improve stability of next-generation solar cells -Lithium - Ion Battery Equipment
Scientists have discovered the exact mechanism that causes damage to new solar cells and proposed a possible solution.
Solar cells harness energy from the sun, providing an alternative to non-renewable energy sources such as fossil fuels. However, they face challenges with expensive manufacturing processes and low efficiency -- the amount of sunlight that can be converted into usable energy.
Perovskites are materials being developed for next-generation solar cells. Although perovskites can be manufactured more flexibly, at a lower cost and with similar efficiency than conventional silicon-based solar panels, they contain toxic lead species. So the researchers are working on a version of the perovskite that uses a lead substitute.
With a record PCE of more than 13%, the competitiveness of tin-based perovskite solar cells has been steadily increasing due to extensive research efforts. However, the device performance of perovskite tin solar cells has progressed at a slower pace relative to its Pb counterparts, mainly due to their poor stability under ambient environmental conditions. This stability issue of these materials is mainly related to the easy oxidation of Sn2+ to Sn4+, which is also known to introduce p-type self-doping in perovskites. In turn, this leads to a high rate of unimolecular electron-hole recombination and thus poor solar cell performance. A number of strategies have been explored to address these issues, including the use of additives to SNX to mitigate self-doping and the introduction of intrinsically more stable low-dimensional phases. However, these methods cannot completely solve the problem, so the decomposition pathway of perovskite needs to be fully elucidated in order to solve the stability bottleneck more effectively.(Lithium - Ion Battery Equipment)
Versions that use tin instead of lead are promising, but degrade quickly. Now, researchers at Imperial College and the University of Bath have shown how perovskite degrades into tin iodide, which in turn forms iodine when exposed to moisture and oxygen. This iodine helps form more tin iodide, leading to cyclic degradation.
The team also showed how the choice of key layers in the perovskite slows down degradation under ambient conditions and improves stability. They hope this will help researchers design more stable, high-performance tin perovskites that show potential as new types of solar cells.
Lead researcher Professor Saif Haq, from Imperial's Department of Chemistry, said understanding the mechanism would help us overcome a major hurdle to this exciting new technology. Our findings will also aid in the design of more stable perovskite tin materials, paving the way for cheaper and more flexible solar harvesting devices. "
Solar cells harness energy from the sun, providing an alternative to non-renewable energy sources such as fossil fuels. However, they face challenges with expensive manufacturing processes and low efficiency -- the amount of sunlight that can be converted into usable energy.
Perovskites are materials being developed for next-generation solar cells. Although perovskites can be manufactured more flexibly, at a lower cost and with similar efficiency than conventional silicon-based solar panels, they contain toxic lead species. So the researchers are working on a version of the perovskite that uses a lead substitute.
With a record PCE of more than 13%, the competitiveness of tin-based perovskite solar cells has been steadily increasing due to extensive research efforts. However, the device performance of perovskite tin solar cells has progressed at a slower pace relative to its Pb counterparts, mainly due to their poor stability under ambient environmental conditions. This stability issue of these materials is mainly related to the easy oxidation of Sn2+ to Sn4+, which is also known to introduce p-type self-doping in perovskites. In turn, this leads to a high rate of unimolecular electron-hole recombination and thus poor solar cell performance. A number of strategies have been explored to address these issues, including the use of additives to SNX to mitigate self-doping and the introduction of intrinsically more stable low-dimensional phases. However, these methods cannot completely solve the problem, so the decomposition pathway of perovskite needs to be fully elucidated in order to solve the stability bottleneck more effectively.(Lithium - Ion Battery Equipment)
Versions that use tin instead of lead are promising, but degrade quickly. Now, researchers at Imperial College and the University of Bath have shown how perovskite degrades into tin iodide, which in turn forms iodine when exposed to moisture and oxygen. This iodine helps form more tin iodide, leading to cyclic degradation.
The team also showed how the choice of key layers in the perovskite slows down degradation under ambient conditions and improves stability. They hope this will help researchers design more stable, high-performance tin perovskites that show potential as new types of solar cells.
Lead researcher Professor Saif Haq, from Imperial's Department of Chemistry, said understanding the mechanism would help us overcome a major hurdle to this exciting new technology. Our findings will also aid in the design of more stable perovskite tin materials, paving the way for cheaper and more flexible solar harvesting devices. "
