Canon has announced that it has developed a high-performance material which is expected to improve the durability and mass-production stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The Company aims to initiate mass production in 2025.
Canon stated that several issues are currently standing in the way of PSC commercialization. For one, the crystal structure of the perovskite layer (photoelectric conversion layer) is susceptible to the effects of water, heat, oxygen, etc. in the atmosphere, which results in low durability. Furthermore, it is difficult to achieve stable mass production when manufacturing perovskite solar cells with a large surface area. It has been recognized that a structure covering the perovskite layer is needed to solve these problems. Therefore, Canon developed a special functional material to coat the perovskite layer by applying the material technology it cultivated through the development of photosensitive members, a key component of multifunction office devices and laser printers.
The key characteristic of this material is its ability to cover the perovskite layer thickly while maintaining a high rate of photoelectric conversion efficiency, which has been difficult to achieve with conventional materials. The material can be coated at a thickness of 100-200 nm, whereas the conventional coating layer is several tens of nm. Through joint research with Professor Dr. Tsutomu Miyasaka, inventor of the perovskite solar cell and faculty member at Toin University of Yokohama, a performance evaluation was conducted, the results of which verified its potential to improve the durability of perovskite solar cells and showed promise in advancing the stability of mass production.
When the perovskite layer is covered with the material developed by Canon, the coating suppresses the loss of substance in the crystal structure, which helps to improve the durability of perovskite solar cells. Since the newly developed material has the property of a semiconductor, a high rate of photoelectric conversion efficiency is maintained even if the perovskite layer is thickly coated, which is expected to improve mass-production stability.
It is anticipated that solving these hurdles will help contribute to more widespread use. “By adding a layer of this newly developed high-performance material to the layer structure of these cells, we can expect to solve the issue of mass production,” said Professor Miyasaka.
Canon will begin shipping samples of this material in June 2024 in an aim to collaborate with companies engaged in the mass production of perovskite solar cells. Going forward, the Company will work on further technological development and intends to start mass production in 2025.
