The Perovskite Promise and Its Achilles’ Heel
Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) offer immense potential as a low-cost, high-efficiency alternative to traditional silicon solar cells. However, their widespread adoption has been hampered by the inherent instability and fragility of their active layers, particularly the hole-transport layer.
A Novel Solution: Self-Assembled Diradical Molecules
Now, a team of Chinese scientists from the Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, has achieved a significant breakthrough. They developed novel, stable, and uniformly self-assembled organic diradical molecules to fortify this critical layer.
Engineering for Stability and Uniformity
These “double-radical self-assembled molecules” feature a unique coplanar-conjugation, thereby enhancing hole transport and improving stability. Furthermore, their design incorporates molecular steric hindrance, contributing to remarkable photothermal and electrochemical stability, alongside superior assembly uniformity and large-area processability.
Exceptional Performance and Durability
The integration of these diradical molecules led to impressive performance metrics. PSCs achieved efficiencies over 26.3%, while mini-modules reached 23.6% and perovskite-silicon tandem devices surpassed 34.2%. Crucially, these cells demonstrated exceptional durability, retaining over 97% of their initial efficiency after 2000 hours of continuous operation at 45°C.
Paving the Way for Future Solar
Ultimately, this development addresses a major bottleneck in perovskite technology, promising more robust, efficient, as well as cost-effective solar cells for the future of renewable energy.
