Scientists make game-changing breakthrough with crystal materials that could transform how we power our homes: 'Immense potential'

Solar power is one of the world's fastest-growing renewable energy sources, and perovskite-based designs are rapidly gaining popularity over traditional silicon due to their unique properties. 

Perovskite refers to a class of materials characterized by a specific crystal structure, and it allows for the construction of ultra-thin solar cells that are lightweight and highly efficient. 

However, they have suffered from long-term stability issues, leading scientists to explore novel ways to improve their resilience. 

Researchers at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea developed an interlayer that leverages the specificity of organic cations on the surface of perovskite solar cells, achieving both high efficiency and durability, according to a summary published on Tech Xplore. 

Minimizing defects in the light-absorbing perovskite is key to the efficiency of these cells, and previous efforts used single organic cations (positively charged ions) to coat the surfaces, as relayed by Tech Xplore. However, this often led to the structural collapse of the thin films due to misalignment. 

The new method uses a dual cation approach to create a thermally stable interlayer, and the differing interactions between the two types of cations stabilize the structure while naturally aligning for efficient electron transfer. 

That layer also decreases the incidence of defects across the thin perovskite films, leading to improved charge retention. 

As reported, these PSCs have achieved a power conversion efficiency of 26.3%, which rivals that of traditional silicon cells. The U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory recognized the achievement in 2023, validating it at 25.82%.

In addition, the researchers proved the long-term stability of their design by storing the PSCs at room temperature for 9,000 hours. The PSCs retained 100% of their original performance. 

The advent of resilient, lightweight, ultra-thin cells with high efficiencies could benefit the growing solar economy. We could add more solar capacity across vehicle roofs, building facades, and bike charging stands, to name a few applications.  

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Expanding this renewable resource can help us replace the burning of dirty fuels for energy with a cleaner, greener alternative, reducing pollution and improving infrastructure. 

This will help lower costs for consumers who want to install solar panels on their homes and communities that share the benefits of local solar-collecting installations. 

"This technology signifies a remarkable advancement as it enables the formation of a stable interlayer through a simple solution process, simultaneously improving the durability and manufacturing efficiency of PSCs," said researcher Jongbeom Kim, as relayed by Tech Xplore. "The innovative combination of organic ammonium cations holds immense potential."

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