by Riko Seibo
Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jan 19, 2026
Researchers on the Faculty of Engineering at The Hong Kong College of Science and Know-how have developed a sturdy coating layer that considerably improves the operational stability of perovskite photo voltaic cells whereas sustaining excessive effectivity. In accelerated assessments simulating intense noon daylight at 85 C, the coated cells retained greater than 95 p.c of their preliminary energy conversion effectivity after over 1,100 hours of steady operation, demonstrating robust potential for outside deployment in real-world circumstances.
Perovskite photo voltaic cells are recognized for his or her excessive effectivity and comparatively low manufacturing value, however their restricted long run stability has been a key impediment to commercialization. A broadly used technique to deal with this difficulty is to coat a 3 dimensional perovskite absorber with a skinny low dimensional perovskite layer that passivates floor defects and improves machine voltage. Nonetheless, standard low dimensional layers are sometimes fashioned from monovalent ammonium salts that bind weakly to the perovskite lattice and have a tendency to degrade beneath warmth and illumination, inflicting fast efficiency loss.
To beat this limitation, Dr. Chang Xiao Ming, a postdoctoral fellow within the Division of Electronics and Pc Engineering at HKUST, and colleagues designed a brand new class of multivalent amidinium ligands that act as a molecular velcro like interface. These ligands anchor to the perovskite floor at a number of factors by two nitrogen websites of their headgroup, making a multi level grip that stabilizes the low dimensional layer beneath working circumstances. Their flat molecular form and resonance stabilized cost distribution allow stronger hydrogen bonding with halide ions and better resistance to thermal and lightweight induced degradation.
Dr. Chang stated that conventional ammonium halide molecules can diffuse into the perovskite bulk at elevated temperatures, the place they both break down or react with the natural ion formamidinium, undermining the protecting operate of the low dimensional layer. In distinction, the multivalent amidinium ligands stay on the interface and protect the integrity of the floor construction over time. This conduct helps gradual the chemical pathways that usually drive machine ageing and effectivity losses.
Co creator Prof. Lin Yen Hung, an assistant professor within the Division of Digital and Pc Engineering at HKUST, highlighted using operando hyperspectral imaging to observe machine conduct beneath real looking working circumstances. With this method, the staff mapped the perovskite layer pixel by pixel beneath open circuit, most energy level, and quick circuit circumstances throughout accelerated ageing. Units incorporating the molecular velcro interface confirmed nearly unchanged photoluminescence patterns and spectra, indicating a steady interface and an intact perovskite absorber layer even beneath prolonged stress.
A central side of the work is the power to tune the basicity of a nitrogen atom inside a pyridine group within the ligand construction. The researchers discovered that in low dimensional perovskite constructions, amidinium ligands disrupt the absolutely three dimensional crystal community and permit metallic halide octahedra to reorganize into one dimensional chains or two dimensional sheets. By rigorously adjusting ligand basicity and molecular conformation, they transformed the floor perovskite from a one dimensional chain like stacking motif right into a hydrogen bonded two dimensional sheet like community that types a steady and uniform protecting coating.
Utilizing this three dimensional to 2 dimensional interface engineering technique in inverted perovskite photo voltaic cells, the staff achieved an authorized regular state energy conversion effectivity of 25.4 p.c on cells with an lively space of about 1.1 sq. centimeters. For mini modules with an space of 6.82 sq. centimeters, the gadgets reached 24.2 p.c effectivity. In keeping with the researchers, these values place their gadgets among the many high performing inverted perovskite photo voltaic cells reported thus far for comparable lively areas.
To systematically assess sturdiness, the staff adopted the Worldwide Summit on Natural Photovoltaic Stability (ISOS) protocol, a broadly adopted normal for evaluating perovskite photo voltaic cell lifetimes. Beneath the ISOS L 2 take a look at, encapsulated gadgets operated repeatedly at their optimum working level beneath one solar equal illumination, equivalent to vivid noon daylight, at 85 C in air. Even beneath these demanding circumstances, the cells incorporating the molecular velcro interface retained greater than 95 p.c of their preliminary effectivity after 1,100 hours, underscoring the robustness of the interface design.
Prof. Lin famous that, to the very best of the staff’s information, the licensed stabilized effectivity they obtained is the best reported in a peer reviewed publication for inverted perovskite photo voltaic cells with an lively space of round 1 sq. centimeter. The work demonstrates how wonderful management over molecular stage interactions on the perovskite floor can translate into each file stage effectivity and considerably improved machine lifetime. The findings additionally recommend a common pathway for engineering steady three dimensional low dimensional perovskite heterostructures for future photovoltaic applied sciences.
The analysis, printed within the journal Science, seems in a paper titled Multivalent ligands regulate dimensional engineering for inverted perovskite photo voltaic modules. The research concerned collaboration with a number of worldwide establishments, together with King Abdullah College of Science and Know-how, The Chinese language College of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shaanxi Regular College, Korea College, the Nationwide College of Singapore, the Nationwide Technical College of Athens, and the College of Manchester. Contributors from HKUST included Prof. Lin’s analysis group and Dr. Fion Yeung Sze Yan, Senior Supervisor on the State Key Laboratory of Shows and Opto Electronics.
Analysis Report: Multivalent ligands regulate dimensional engineering for inverted perovskite solar modules
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Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
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