by Robert Schreiber
Berlin, Germany (SPX) Dec 11, 2025
Perovskite photo voltaic cells will be made extra sturdy, environment friendly, scalable and cheaper to fabricate by changing indium tin oxide with single-walled carbon nanotubes within the system structure, in line with analysis led by the College of Surrey. The group stories that substituting indium tin oxide, a fragile and dear photovoltaic materials, with single-walled carbon nanotubes may help versatile perovskite modules which might be extra inexpensive and mechanically resilient.
In work led by Surrey’s Superior Expertise Institute with worldwide companions, researchers present {that a} simple sulfuric acid remedy will increase {the electrical} conductivity of carbon nanotube movies whereas maintaining them sufficiently clear for daylight to achieve the perovskite absorber beneath. The remedy additionally kinds a skinny nickel-based stabilising bridge layer, described as a NiSO4-NiOx interfacial layer, which improves {the electrical} connection between layers contained in the photo voltaic cell stack.
Professor Wei Zhang, lead writer from the College of Surrey’s Superior Expertise Institute, stated:
“Our course of resulted in a versatile perovskite photo voltaic cell freed from indium tin oxide that achieved greater than 20% energy conversion effectivity throughout massive areas, with small-scale gadgets reaching a report 24.5%. It is protected to say that our personal outcomes took us all abruptly.”
As a result of carbon nanotube movies will be produced utilizing roll-to-roll chemical vapour deposition, a course of already utilized in large-scale electronics manufacturing, the researchers state that this electrode technique is suitable with industrial-scale manufacturing of versatile photo voltaic panels. They argue that this might ship high-performing versatile modules manufactured at volumes appropriate for industrial deployment.
Exams confirmed a marked enchancment in operational stability. After one month of simultaneous publicity to warmth, humidity and simulated daylight, the gadgets retained greater than 95% of their authentic efficiency, outperforming typical indium-tin-oxide-based designs below related circumstances.
Professor Ravi Silva, co-author of the examine and Director of the Superior Expertise Institute on the College of Surrey, stated:
“We at the moment are satisfied that carbon nanotube electrodes can do what indium tin oxide can’t – mix excessive efficiency with mechanical energy and low price. These outcomes deliver versatile, scalable photo voltaic expertise a giant step nearer to real-world functions.”
The group additionally assessed mechanical sturdiness by repeatedly bending the modules. Conventional indium-tin-oxide-based gadgets misplaced practically three-quarters of their effectivity after 1,000 bends, whereas gadgets utilizing single-walled carbon nanotube electrodes misplaced solely round 5% and confirmed no seen cracking or delamination.
Researchers examined price and environmental impacts as properly. They estimate that producing single-walled carbon nanotube movies by way of roll-to-roll chemical vapour deposition is round six occasions cheaper than indium tin oxide sputtering, reducing manufacturing prices by roughly $200 per sq. metre. Since indium is scarce and energy-intensive to extract, transferring to carbon-based electrodes may lower each manufacturing prices and the general carbon footprint of photo voltaic module fabrication.
The group locations these leads to the broader context of perovskite expertise, a category of supplies typically highlighted in photo voltaic analysis for combining low-cost constituents with excessive light-harvesting effectivity. Perovskites will be processed at decrease temperatures than silicon and shaped into gentle, versatile gadgets that may bend, curve and be built-in onto a spread of surfaces. Nevertheless, long-term stability and fragile parts have slowed industrial adoption, and the brand new electrode design goals straight at these constraints.
Professor Wei Zhang added: “Our work tackles one of many greatest limitations to commercialisation – price and scalability. Versatile, light-weight photo voltaic modules like these may energy every little thing from transportable electronics to next-generation constructing supplies.”
Analysis Report:Integrating SWCNT to bridge the stability divide in scalable and manufacturable flexible perovskite solar modules
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University of Surrey
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