Perovskite solar cells offer the promise of increased efficiency and lower costs than traditional silicon photovoltaics, but long-term stability issues have held them back.
However, researchers at Northwestern University have now discovered a more resilient replacement to the ammonium-based coating layer used currently, as TechXplore reported. Instead, they found a more robust layer of amidinium is better able to protect the perovskite from harsh environmental stresses like heat and moisture.Â
Photovoltaics made from silicon have long been the most common choice because of its resilience, but it's also much more expensive.
Dual-layer solutions that use both perovskite and silicon have shown promising results, offering higher efficiencies than either on their own. The Department of Energy has seen examples of perovskite cells reaching 34%, which is a far cry from the 3% efficiency reports from 2009.Â
Now, the team has found that amidinium-coated perovskite is 10 times more resilient to decomposition than ones using ammonium, per the report.
They also managed to hit a respectable 26.3% power conversion efficiency, while retaining "90% or more of that efficiency for 1,100 hours of maximum power point operations at 85 degrees Celsius," as their research detailed.Â
"This work addresses one of the critical barriers to widespread adoption of perovskite solar cells—stability under real-world conditions," Northwestern's Mercouri Kanatzidis, who co-led the study, shared with TechXplore.Â
"By chemically reinforcing the protective layers, we've significantly advanced the durability of these cells without compromising their exceptional efficiency, bringing us closer to a practical, low-cost alternative to silicon-based photovoltaics."
Solar power has seen huge advances in recent years, with a Solar Energy Industries Associate report showing there are 5 million installations across the U.S., and 97% percent of those are on residential rooftops.Â
Those consumers could benefit from lower costs, which can help ease the expansion of rooftop solar, as the market is projected to double by 2030 and triple by 2034.Â
The increased resilience will also be a boon for the commercial end of the sector, as solar power becomes a more grid-connected utility, reducing the reliance on dirtier fuels for power.
"The primary barrier to the commercialization of perovskite solar cells is their long-term stability," Ted Sargent, director of the Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy and a co-author of the study, concluded in the report.
"Due to its multi-decade head start, silicon still has an advantage in some areas, including stability. We are working to close that gap."
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