Advancements in Eco-Friendly Solvents for Perovskite Tandem Solar Cells
The quest to develop cost-effective and scalable photovoltaic (PV) technologies has accelerated recently, as researchers strive to create alternatives to traditional silicon solar cells that also provide high power-conversion efficiencies over extended periods.
Understanding Perovskite Tandem Solar Cells
A promising solution in this research direction is the development of perovskite-based tandem solar cells. These innovative structures consist of two sub-cell layers, each designed to absorb different parts of the light spectrum efficiently.
The Need for Sustainable Solvents
While these photovoltaic systems exhibit considerable potential in energy conversion efficiency, their large-scale implementation requires environmentally safe solvents. Presently, many green solvents available have shown limited effectiveness when applied with wide-bandgap perovskites, necessitating reliance on hazardous solvents like N,N-dimethylformamide (C3H7NO)
A Breakthrough at Nanjing University
Researchers from Nanjing University alongside other collaborative institutions have introduced an innovative green solvent capable of dissolving cesium and bromide salts within perovskites. As detailed in a recent publication published in Nature Energy, this new solvent comprises dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), acetonitrile, and ethyl alcohol—substances that have demonstrated effective performance without compromising advancements/” title=”HAECO's Speedy Approach to Recruitment and Technology Advancements”>safety standards.
“In our prior studies,” stated Ke Xiao, a co-author on the project speaking with Tech Xplore, “we reached an impressive efficiency rate of 24.5% with all-perovskite tandem modules which indicates substantial possibilities for commercialization.”
Tackling Environmental Challenges
Xiao emphasized that maintaining health and safety during production remains paramount as research pushes forward into larger-scale applications. The challenge posed by conventional toxic solvents lies in their volatile nature making them challenging to manage during industrial manufacturing processes.
The central goal pursued by Xiao’s team was to pinpoint a relatively safe solvent system that minimizes toxic waste generated from creating perovskite-based solar technology.
An Effective Solution
The newly developed solvent features DMSO combined with acetonitrile—which excellently facilitates the dissolution process for cesium and bromide salts—and ethyl alcohol serves a crucial role by inhibiting degradation during chemical reactions involved with perovskites.
Paving New Ways for Scalable Manufacturing
“We employed a nitrogen gas-assisted blade coating method enabling us to craft extensive wide-bandgap perovskite films,” elaborated Xiao regarding their methodology.
This innovative work has introduced an adaptable green solvent framework conducive not only for various wide-bandgap applications but also compatible with narrow-bandgap variants thereby broadening its utility across diverse tandem cell configurations moving forward.