Hkust promotes nano scale research to improve the efficiency of the perovskite solar cell
The School of Engineering at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has made a breakthrough in understanding the nano scale behavior of perovskiet solar cells (PSCs). This progress significantly improves their efficiency and sustainability, so that the road is cleared for lower production costs and wider applications in renewable energy.
Perovskiet solar cells are a promising alternative to conventional silicon-based solar cells and offer higher potential power conversion efficiency, cheaper materials and more sustainable production processes. Despite these benefits, challenges such as instability under exposure to light, humidity and mechanical stress have impeded their commercial viability. A critical factor that contributes to this instability is the unequal distribution of cations in thin films of Perovskiet, which leads to phase transitions that break down the devices over time.
A research team led by Prof. Zhou Yuanyuan, assistant professor at the Chemical and Biological Engineering department and associated director of the Energy Institute at HKUST, has discovered important phenomena on nano scale that affect the stability of the PSC. They identified nano -scale grooves on perovskiet grain triple junctions as geometric places that capture and delay their movement, preventing uniform distribution. To tackle this problem, the researchers used a chemical additive approach using butylammonium acetate, which successfully reduced the depth of these groove traps by a factor of three. The improved PSCs achieved efficiency nearly 26% and showed improved stability under standardized test conditions.
Prof. Zhou, the primary corresponding author of the study, emphasized the novelty of their approach: “Most existing studies focus on a microscopic or macroscopic level to improve perovskite solar cells. Our team investigated details under the nano scale in these PSCs. Fundamental approach to the CHAMTION DIVERTING TO TO TO TO”
Research report:Nanoscopic cross -grain Kation Homogenization in Perovskiet solar cells
