Perovskite materials

We interview Sofab Inks' CEO & COO, discussing the company's materials, business, and industry outlook

Sofab Inks develops and produces advanced materials for perovskite solar cells. The company's flagship product is a solvent-based tin oxide ETL  that has already seen promising results in improving the performance and lifespan of perovskite solar cells. We interviewed the company's CEO Blake Martin and COO Jack Manzella, who help us understand the company's materials and business better. Click here to contact Sofab Inks to learn more or request a material sample.

Hello Blake and Jack. Earlier this year, Sofab Inks launched Tinfab, a high-performance and low-cost ETL material for perovskite solar cells. Can you detail the market reaction for your new material, and also the performance benefits that one can expect from this new ETL?

Since launching Tinfab, we’ve experienced significant interest across the industry, with approximately 40 companies and universities currently testing the material in perovskite solar cell applications. This strong engagement underscores the market's demand for innovative, scalable ETL solutions.

Tinfab is designed to fully replace C60/fullerenes in perovskite solar cells, addressing key limitations of C60, including lower stability, higher costs, and the complexity of vacuum deposition. Unlike C60, Tinfab can be solution-deposited in ambient environments, making it far more suitable for scalable manufacturing.

Read the full story Posted: Nov 26,2024

Researchers design novel color-changing 2D halide perovskites

Researchers from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, led by Associate Professor Nripan Mathews of NTU’s School of Materials Science and Engineering, have synthesized four unique types of 2D halide perovskites.

Dr. Ayan Zhumekenov, a research fellow at the school and lead author of the study, used a novel approach to create the new perovskites by incorporating dimethyl carbonate – a non-toxic solvent – into methylammonium-based perovskite crystals. By analyzing the new crystal structures, the scientists discovered that the structures’ band gap could be tuned by adjusting the ratio of methylammonium to dimethyl carbonate in them. The band gap, which determines 
the color of the material, is the energy required for an electron to break free from its bound state and become conductive.

Read the full story Posted: Nov 22,2024

TCI launches Phenylethylamine Hydroiodides materials to increase the stability of perovskite solar panels

Tokyo Chemical Industry (TCI), a global supplier of laboratory chemicals and specialty materials, is now offering Phenylethylamine Hydroiodides materials, used for surface treatment of perovskite layers in solar panels. These materials improve the stability of the solar panels.

Research has shown that by applying the Phenylethylamine Hydroiodides materials, one can expect improved stability of over 90%. In one research, the 1,2-Benzenediethanamine Dihydroiodide was applied to a perovskite PV device (FTO/TiO2/SnO2/perovskite/Amine Iodide/Spiro-OMeTAD/Au), and achieved an increase in stability of over 90% after 1,100 hours. See here for more info.

Read the full story Posted: Oct 21,2024

Researchers shed light on the functionality of 2D halide perovskites

Researchers from Sweden's Chalmers University of Technology recently gained new insights into the dynamics of prototypical 2D halide perovskites (HPs) based on MAPbI3 as a function of linker molecule and the number of perovskite layers using atomic-scale simulations.

The team showed that the layers closest to the linker undergo transitions that are distinct from those of the interior layers. These transitions can take place anywhere between a few tens of Kelvin degrees below and more than 100 K above the cubic–tetragonal transition of bulk MAPbI3

Read the full story Posted: Oct 16,2024

Researchers introduce a new lead-halide-based Ruddlesden–Popper perovskite structure

Researchers from EPFL, University of Bern and HZB have introduced a new lead-halide-based Ruddlesden–Popper perovskite structure based on a visible-light-absorbing naphthalene-iminoimide cation. The team stated that the optoelectronic properties of this new material represent an important step toward enhancing light harvesting and affording the spatial separation of charge carrier transport in stable layered perovskite-based devices.

Incorporating organic semiconductor building blocks as spacer cations into layered hybrid perovskites provides an opportunity to develop new materials with novel optoelectronic properties, including nanoheterojunctions that afford spatial separation of electron and hole transport. However, identifying organics with suitable structure and electronic energy levels to selectively absorb visible light has been a challenge in the field. In their recent paper, the team introduced a new lead-halide-based Ruddlesden–Popper perovskite structure based on a visible-light-absorbing naphthalene-iminoimide cation (NDI-DAE).

Read the full story Posted: Sep 27,2024

Researchers examine halide perovskites in their molten and glassy states

Researchers from Duke University, University of Colorado - Boulder, Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science, Polish Academy of Sciences and University of Lille CNRS have examined the local structure of halide perovskites in their molten and glassy states, revealing the critical connection between these structures and the contrasting properties observed in their crystalline vs glassy states. 

The findings of this work enhance scientists' understanding of the diverse structural motifs in perovskites and how structural changes in perovskite glass impact their properties, paving the way for advancements in next-generation phase change materials and devices.

Read the full story Posted: Sep 18,2024

Researchers develop a method for scalable fabrication of inch-sized FAPbI3 perovskite wafers for highly sensitive near-infrared photodetection

Researchers from China's Hebei University of Technology have developed a scalable method combining physical thermal field and chemical bonding to fabricate inch-sized FAPbI3 wafers. By integrating 120 °C hot-pressing to stabilize the photoactive α phase and polyaniline polymer to conduct and passivate the grain boundaries, the team obtained quasi-single crystal FAPbI3 wafers on a large scale. 

This approach reportedly overcomes the critical challenges of phase impurities and high-density defects, enhancing the phase stability of the FAPbI3 wafers. 

Read the full story Posted: Sep 08,2024

Researchers develop new platform for accelerated discovery of perovskite solid solutions

Researchers from Queen Mary University of London and QinetiQ could pave the way for faster discovery of novel perovskite materials with desirable properties for applications in wireless communication and biosensors. The recent research introduces an automated platform for rapid sintering and dielectric characterization of perovskite solid solutions. This innovative approach integrates machine learning (ML) for material screening with robotic synthesis and high-throughput characterization.

The scientists stated that while accelerating perovskite solid solution discovery and sustainable synthesis is crucial for addressing challenges in wireless communication and biosensors, the vast array of chemical compositions and their dependence on factors such as crystal structure and sintering temperature require time-consuming manual processes. To overcome these constraints, they introduced an automated materials discovery approach encompassing machine learning (ML) assisted material screening, robotic synthesis, and high-throughput characterization. 

Read the full story Posted: Aug 13,2024

Researchers develop bithiophene-based cost-effective hole transport materials for efficient perovskite solar cells

Researchers from China's Huaqiao University and Qufu Normal University recently introduced new materials that promise to enhance the efficiency of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Their study details the development of three novel hole transport materials that may improve solar cell performance.

Image credit: Energy Materials and Devices

The team said that the high price of charge transport materials for perovskite solar cells poses a barrier to widespread adoption. Traditional materials like Spiro-OMeTAD are expensive and complex to produce, making it essential to find more affordable alternatives to advance PSC technology and expand its use.

Read the full story Posted: Aug 01,2024

Researchers use supercomputers to uncover unconventional electron–phonon physics in halide perovskites

Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) recently gained better understanding of the origin of halide perovskites' extraordinary carrier lifetimes, by showing that halide perovskites are governed by unconventional electron–phonon physics, leading to the formation of topological polarons, a class of phonon-mediated electron/hole quasiparticles. 

The team's findings suggest that halide perovskites may be regarded as a class of quantum materials where electron–phonon couplings replace the traditional electron–electron interactions of correlated electron systems.

Read the full story Posted: Jun 26,2024