Perovskite Photovoltaics: From Laboratory to Industry

Cotton soot derived carbon nanoparticles for NiO supported processing temperature tuned ambient perovskite solar cells

The emergence of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) in a "catfish effect" of other conventional photovoltaic technologies with the massive growth of high-power conversion efficiency (PCE) has given a new direction to the entire solar energy field. Replacing traditional metal-based electrodes with carbon-based materials is one of the front-runners among many other investigations in this field due to its cost-effective processability and high stability. Carbon-based perovskite solar cells (c-PSCs) have shown great potential for the development of large scale photovoltaics. First of its kind, here we introduce a facile and cost-effective large scale carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) synthesis from mustard oil assisted cotton combustion for utilization in the mesoporous carbon-based perovskite solar cell (PSC). Also, we instigate two different directions of utilizing the carbon nanoparticles for a composite high temperature processed electrode (HTCN) and a low temperature processed electrode (LTCN) with detailed performance comparison. NiO/CNP composite thin film was used in high temperature processed electrodes, and for low temperature processed electrodes, separate NiO and CNP layers were deposited. The HTCN devices with the cell structure FTO/c-TiO2/m-TiO2/m-ZrO2/high-temperature NiO-CNP composite paste/infiltrated MAPI (CH3NH3PbI3) achieved a maximum PCE of 13.2%. In addition, high temperature based carbon devices had remarkable stability of ~ 1000 h (ambient condition), retaining almost 90% of their initial efficiency. In contrast, LTCN devices with configuration FTO/c-TiO2/m-TiO2/m-ZrO2/NiO/MAPI/low-temperature CNP had a PCE limit of 14.2%, maintaining ~ 72% of the initial PCE after 1000 h. Nevertheless, we believe this promising approach and the comparative study between the two different techniques would be highly suitable and adequate for the upcoming cutting-edge experimentations of PSC.

Air-Processed Infrared-Annealed Printed Methylammonium-Free Perovskite Solar Cells and Modules Incorporating Potassium-Doped Graphene Oxide as an Interlayer

The use of solution processes to fabricate perovskite solar cells (PSCs) represents a winning strategy to reduce capital expenditure, increase the throughput, and allow for process flexibility needed to adapt PVs to new applications. However, the typical fabrication process for PSC development to date is performed in an inert atmosphere (nitrogen), usually in a glovebox, hampering the industrial scale-up. In this work, we demonstrate, for the first time, the use of double-cation perovskite (forsaking the unstable methylammonium (MA) cation) processed in ambient air by employing potassium-doped graphene oxide (GO-K) as an interlayer, between the mesoporous TiO₂ and the perovskite layer and using infrared annealing (IRA). We upscaled the device active area from 0.09 to 16 cm² by blade coating the perovskite layer, exhibiting power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 18.3 and 16.10% for 0.1 and 16 cm² active area devices, respectively. We demonstrated how the efficiency and stability of MA-free-based perovskite deposition in air have been improved by employing GO-K and IRA.

Dimensionality engineering of metal halide perovskites

Metal halide perovskites are a class of materials that are ideal for photodetectors and solar cells due to their excellent optoelectronic properties. Their low-cost and low temperature synthesis have made them attractive for extensive research aimed at revolutionizing the semiconductor industry. The rich chemistry of metal halide perovskites allows compositional engineering resulting in facile tuning of the desired optoelectronic properties. Moreover, using different experimental synthesis and deposition techniques such as solution processing, chemical vapor deposition and hot-injection methods, the dimensionality of the perovskites can be altered from 3D to 0D, each structure opening a new realm of applications due to their unique properties. Dimensionality engineering includes both morphological engineering-reducing the thickness of 3D perovskite into atomically thin films-and molecular engineering-incorporating long-chain organic cations into the perovskite mixture and changing the composition at the molecular level. The optoelectronic properties of the perovskite structure including its band gap, binding energy and carrier mobility depend on both its composition and dimensionality. The plethora of different photodetectors and solar cells that have been made with different compositions and dimensions of perovskite will be reviewed here. We will conclude our review by discussing the kinetics and dynamics of different dimensionalities, their inherent stability and toxicity issues, and how reaching similar performance to 3D in lower dimensionalities and their large-scale deployment can be achieved.