Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and CubicPV have developed mini solar modules based on perovskite cells treated with zinc trifluoromethane sulfonate [Zn(OOSCF₃)₂]. The scientists found that using a small amount of this zinc salt in the perovskite solution can address the issue of interstitial iodides, which are the most critical type of defects in perovskite solar cells that limits efficiency and stability. The zinc salt helps control the iodide defects in resultant perovskites ink and films. 

The scientists explained that this is a low-cost material that is used as an additive at a very small percentage in perovskite inks and that its use makes perovskite module fabrication more reproducible, which helps to also make it cheaper.

Perovskite-Info is proud to announce an update to our Perovskite for the Display Industry Market Report. This market report, brought to you by the world's leading perovskite and OLED industry experts, is a comprehensive guide to next-generation perovskite-based solutions for the display industry that enable efficient, low cost and high-quality display devices. The report is now updated to February 2024, with all the latest commercial and research activity. This was a major version, with over 15 updates, new companies and new technologies covered.

Reading this report, you'll learn all about:

• Perovskite materials and their properties
• Perovskite applications in the display industry
• Perovskite QDs for color conversion
• Prominent perovskite display related research activities

The report also provides a list of perovskite display companies, datasheets and brochures of pQD film solutions, an introduction to perovskite materials and processes, an introduction to emerging display technologies and more.

Tata Chemicals has announced a collaboration with IITB-Monash Research Academy for pioneering research in the field of perovskite/clean energy. The strategic partnership will aim to advance sustainable energy transition solutions and foster innovation in clean energy technologies.

Under this agreement, Tata Chemicals will support the next-generation technology research led by the IITB-Monash Research Academy focused on the transformative potential of perovskite materials in the field of clean energy.

U.S-based University of Vermont spinoff, Verde Technologies, has reported progress with its thin film coating technology in a pilot with contract manufacturer Verico Technology, demonstrating that its coating processes are transferable to existing commercial roll-to-roll manufacturing lines.

The companies completed the deposition of perovskite solution on a flexible substrate measuring 76.2 cm x 6,096 cm using standard manufacturing processes, equipment, and environmental conditions. The novel coating tool and process received the name Verde Slot Coating.

The Dutch government has drafted a public proposal to support the production of heterojunction and perovskite-silicon tandem modules, as well as building- and vehicle-integrated PV panels, with a maximum allocation of €70 million ($75.1 million) per solar manufacturing project. Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO), the state-run agency that manages the SDE++ program for renewable energy in the Netherlands, has publicly proposed the idea of supporting the production of solar panels, storage systems and electrolyzers. The new incentive scheme, “Investeringssubsidie maakindustrie klimaatneutrale economie” (IMKE), will fund a portion of the capital expenditure needed to build factories for the three clean energy technologies.

The RVO said that the incentives for the production of PV panels will be limited to products for building-integrated (BIPV) and vehicle-integrated (VIPV) applications, as well as heterojunction modules or perovskite-silicon tandem panels.

Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), led by Prof. Peidong Yang, have developed a new 3D printing ink based on perovskite materials, that exhibits near unity photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY). Interestingly, as it is a 3D printable ink, it is possible to create luminescent objects from it, as seen in the image below:

Eiffel Tower luminescent structures, made from 3D-printed supramolecular ink (Berkeley Lab)
 

The researchers brand the new ink as 'supramolecular ink', and say it is produced without any rare metals. It is a combination of several powders containing hafnium (Hf) and zirconium (Zr), and is made at room temperatures. In a process called supramolecular assembly, tiny molecular building block structures are self-assembled within the ink. These supramolecular structures enable the material to achieve stable and high-purity synthesis at low temperatures.

Researchers at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) recently set out to develop a scalable photoelectrochemical (PEC) system to produce green hydrogen.

(a) Concept design of NiFeOOH/Ni/FAPbI3 photoanode-based water splitting cell. (b) All-PSK-based encapsulated PEC reactor made of repeated mini-modules. Credit: Nature Energy & Dr Dharmesh Hansora, UNIST

The team explained that for practical photoelectrochemical water splitting to become a reality, highly efficient, stable and scalable photoelectrodes are essential. However, meeting these requirements simultaneously is a difficult task, as improvements in one area can often lead to deterioration in others. To address this challenge, the team developed a formamidinium lead triiodide (FAPbI₃) perovskite-based photoanode that is encapsulated by an Ni foil/NiFeOOH electrocatalyst, which demonstrates promising efficiency, stability and scalability. 

Researchers from Japan's National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) and Hokkaido University have designed an inverted “n-i-p” perovskite solar cell with a new bond/charge regulated defect passivation technique, enabled by introducing bifunctional molecules onto the perovskite absorber. The device exhibited a low open circuit voltage deficit and impressive stability.

The newly-fabricated solar cell with was based on a perovskite material that doesn't contain methylammonium (MA) molecules. These molecules have intrinsic thermal instability and contribute to increasing the typical thermal instability of perovskite PV devices.

Merida Aerospace, a Tampa-based aerospace company, has announced it is developing perovskite solar cells tailored for space applications, with a specific emphasis on enhancing performance and economy for low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites.

LEO satellites often rely on solar panels as their primary power source, capturing sunlight during orbital solar exposure for sustained operation. These panels enhance weight efficiency by reducing the need for excessive number of batteries, enabling autonomous function during intermittent access to sunlight while in low earth orbit.

The DIAMOND project aims at developing ultra-stable, highly-efficient and low-cost perovskite photovoltaics with minimized environmental impact, promising stabilities far beyond all previous achievements of photovoltaic solar cells.

It was launched in October 5^th, 2022, and is planned to continue until November 30^th, 2025.