Perovskite-Info: the perovskite experts

Perovskite-Info is a news hub and knowledge center born out of keen interest in the wide range of perovskite materials.

Perovskites are a class of materials that share a similar structure, which display a myriad of exciting properties like superconductivity, magnetoresistance and more. These easily synthesized materials are considered the future of solar cells, as their distinctive structure makes them perfect for enabling low-cost, efficient photovoltaics. They are also predicted to play a role in next-gen electric vehicle batteries, sensors, lasers and much more.

Recent Perovskite News

Researchers develop new technique for flexible perovskite solar cells with improved efficiency

High power conversion efficiency (PCE) flexible perovskite solar cells (FPSCs) are highly desired power sources for applications like aerospace and flexible electronics. However, their PCEs still lag far behind their rigid counterparts. To address this issue, researchers from Tsinghua University and National Center for Nanoscience and Technology developed a new fabrication technique that increases the efficiency of FPSCs, paving the way for use of the technology on a much larger scale. The scientists reported a high PCE flexible perovskite solar cell by controllable growth of a SnO2 electron transport layer through constant pH chemical bath deposition (CBD). 

The team developed a new chemical bath deposition (CBD) method of depositing tin oxide (SnO2) on a flexible substrate without requiring a strong acid, which many flexible substrates are sensitive to. The new technique allowed the researchers more control over tin oxide growth on the flexible substrate. Tin oxide serves as an electron transport layer in the FPSC, which is critical for power conversion efficiency.

Read the full story Posted: Mar 28,2024

Researchers design perovskite solar cell with 31.31% efficiency using unique perovskite material

Researchers from Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, USA, Nepal and China have explored the fascinating structural, optical, and electronic features of calcium nitrogen iodide (Ca3NI3) as an attractive material for developing absorbers for efficient and reasonably priced solar cells. 

Potential applications as an absorber layer in heterostructure solar cells for the perovskite material Ca3NI3 have been thoroughly studied theoretically. For the Ca3NI3 absorber-based cell structure with CdS as the ETL layer, the best PV values were discovered using the SCAPS-1D simulator. Working temperatures, interface densities of active materials, doping densities, and layer thicknesses were all carefully considered while analyzing the PV performance. 

Read the full story Posted: Mar 27,2024

DSCC foresees revenue growth for QDs in the display market, perovskite QDs to start capturing market share

DSCC, a provider of display market research and consulting services, recently published its projections regarding revenues from QDs. According to DSCC, demand for QD materials in the display industry is growing, and the market will grow to $100 million in 2024. It will continue to grow and reach $122 million in 2027. 

QD display materials revenue forecast (DSCC, 2023-2027)

DSCC specifically predicts that perovskite materials will capture some market share. It explained that green perovskite is available but red perovskite is still under development, so it is often paired with a red phosphor. The technology is currently in the early stage of commercialization and the supply chain will take some time to build.

Read the full story Posted: Mar 26,2024

Maxwell launches HJT perovskite tandem cell equipment facility

It was reported that solar production equipment maker Maxwell recently held the groundbreaking ceremony for its HJT perovskite tandem cell equipment facility, located in Wujiang District, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. 

The company is investing about RMB 5.4 billion ($750.16 million) in the facility focused on research and manufacturing of next-generation HJT perovskite tandem cells. The construction is scheduled to be completed within 2 years.

Read the full story Posted: Mar 26,2024

Researchers develop "all-in-one" organic ligand for emitting perovskite nanocrystals

Perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs) have considerable potential as next-generation display materials thanks to their excellent photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY), wide color gamut, and narrow emission bandwidth. However, due to their weak stability against solvents, their patterning remains a challenge. In a recent study, researchers at Ajou University, Hanyang University, Sungkyunkwan University, Macquarie University and Kongju National University developed functional organic ligands (AzL1-Th and AzL2-Th) for the fine pixelation of perovskite nanocrystal (PNC) displays. 

Functional ligands containing photocurable azide moieties exhibit good charge transport properties and fast and efficient photocrosslinking performance, while maintaining a high PLQY. The team successfully demonstrated the crosslinked PNC light emitting diodes using AzL1-Th. The results suggest the high potential of photocurable ligands for the micro-patterning of PNC films without film damages.

Read the full story Posted: Mar 25,2024

Researchers use DMAFo additive to make better perovskite solar cells

Researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Chinese Academy of Sciences and University of Colorado (CU Boulder) have reported an innovative method to manufacture perovskite solar cells. 

A major challenge in commercializing perovskite solar cells at a commercial scale is the process of coating the semiconductor onto the glass plates which are the building blocks of panels. Currently, the coating process has to take place in a small box filled with non-reactive gas, such as nitrogen, to prevent the perovskites from reacting with oxygen, which decreases their performance. “This is fine at the research stage. But when you start coating large pieces of glass, it gets harder and harder to do this in a nitrogen filled box,” said Michael McGehee, a professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and fellow with CU Boulder’s Renewable & Sustainable Energy Institute. 

Read the full story Posted: Mar 22,2024

Researchers report annealing-free flexible perovskite quantum dot solar cells that use UV-sintered Ga-doped SnO2 electron transport layers

Researchers from Hanyang University, Nankai University and Kookmin University have developed a room-temperature-processed tin oxide (SnO2) ETL preparation method for flexible perovskite quantum dots (PQD) solar cells. Low-temperature ETL deposition methods are especially desirable for fabricating flexible solar cells on polymer substrates.

The process involves synthesizing highly crystalline SnO2 nanocrystals stabilized with organic ligands, spin-coating their dispersion, followed by UV irradiation. The energy level of SnO2 is controlled by doping gallium ions to reduce the energy level mismatch with the PQD. 

Read the full story Posted: Mar 21,2024

SoFab Inks unveils new high-performance, low-cost ETL for perovskite solar cells

SoFab Inks, a supplier of specialty materials used in perovskite manufacturing, has introduced a new high-performance, low-cost electron transport layer (ETL), designed to enhance the durability and manufacturability of perovskite solar cells.

SoFab's new product is a functionalized nanoparticle ink that can be tuned with a dopant. This innovative ETL offers a range of benefits, including low-temperature solution processability, excellent photostability, high chemical stability, robust electron conductivity, good optical transparency, wide band gap, and favorable alignment with perovskites.

SoFab's team has reported a PCE of over 20% in an inverted perovskite solar cell architecture made with a plastic substrate. The Company anticipates that its patented ETL could serve as a viable substitute for the commonly employed C60, an expensive organic ETL notorious for delamination issues and Voc pinning.

Read the full story Posted: Mar 19,2024

Researchers develop high-performance bifacial perovskite solar cells using single-walled carbon nanotubes

Researchers at the University of Surrey, University of Cambridge and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xidian University, and Zhengzhou University have developed a novel approach for bifacial perovskite devices using single-walled carbon nanotubes as both front and back electrodes.

Single-walled carbon nanotubes offer high transparency, conductivity, and stability, enabling bifacial PSCs with a bifaciality factor of over 98% and a power generation density of over 36%. 

Read the full story Posted: Mar 19,2024

Researchers develop method to regulate the hole transport layer for efficient perovskite solar cells

Researchers at CAS (Chinese Academy of Sciences) and Henan University have developed a nanomaterial-regulated doping strategy to pre-oxidize spiro-OMeTAD into radicals in the precursor solution with tin sulfoxide (SnSO) nanomaterials prepared at high temperature. The team increased the photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) to 24.5% using the inorganic SnSO as a dopant to oxidize and regulate the organic hole transport layer 2,2′,7,7′-tetrakis[N,N-di(4-methoxyphenyl)amino]-9,9-spirobifluorene (spiro-OMeTAD).

Spiro-OMeTAD is an important hole transport layer (HTL) material. To enhance the charge transport capability of spiro-OMeTAD, lithium trifluoromethanesulfonyl imide (Li-TFSI) is required to mediate the reaction between oxygen and spiro-OMeTAD. However, this traditional doping method has low doping efficiency, and excessive Li-TFSI will remain in the spiro-OMeTAD film, leading to a decrease in the compactness and long-term conductivity of the film. The duration of the oxidation reaction usually takes 10 to 24 hours to reach the desired conductivity and work function. In this study, the researchers developed a fast and reproducible strategy to control the oxidation of the nanomaterial. They used SnSO nanomaterial to pre-oxidize spiro-OMeTAD to spiro-OMeTAD+TFSI- free radicals in precursor solutions. This improved the conductivity, optimized the energy level position of HTL, and achieved a high PCE of 24.5%.

Read the full story Posted: Mar 18,2024