By Michael Irving
June 29, 2022
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Princeton researchers have demonstrated a new perovskite
solar cell design with an expected lifespan of 30 years Photo credit: Bumper DeJesus, Andlinger Center for Energy
and the Environment
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Silicon has been the go-to material for solar cells for
decades, but in the last 15 years or so perovskites have been quickly catching
up. They’re approaching the efficiency of silicon but are cheaper to make,
lighter and more flexible.
The problem, however, is that perovskites aren’t
very stable and tend to break down when exposed to the elements. Fixing
that problem has been the focus of plenty of past work, with
scientists experimenting with adding bulky
molecules, old
pigments or quantum
dots.
In the new study, the Princeton team addressed the
stability issue by adding an ultra-thin capping layer between the
light-absorbing perovskite layer and the charge-carrying layer. Just a few
atoms thick, this capping layer was made of carbon disulfide, lead, iodine and
chlorine, and served to protect the device from burning out within a few weeks.
Other teams have added 2D
layers to extend the lifespan of perovskite solar cells, but not to
the degree of this new one. By the team’s estimate, perovskite solar cells made
with this capping layer could last up to 30 years of outdoor operation, making
it the first of its type to cross the commercial threshold of a 20-year
lifetime.
A batch of perovskite solar cells sit under bright light in
the accelerated aging chamber Photo credit:
Bumper DeJesus, Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment
The researchers calculated this lifespan using a new
accelerated aging technique they developed to test the durability of solar
cells. Batches of the solar cells were placed in experimental chambers where
they were exposed to bright light and various temperatures, from a hot summer’s
day of 35 °C (95 °F) right up to an extreme 110 °C (230 °F). From this data,
the team could extrapolate to a lifetime of three decades under standard
environmental conditions.
The team says that not only does the study provide a new
way to make more durable perovskite solar cells, but the accelerated aging
technique will help scientists test the durability of all kinds of solar cells.
The research was published in the journal Science.
Source: Princeton University