Perovskite-Info: the perovskite experts

Researchers from the Graphene Flagship have managed to increase the stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) using hybrids of graphene and molybdenum disulphide quantum dots.

The team used molybdenum disulphide quantum dot/graphene hybrids to address PSCs' instability issue. The collaboration between research institutions and industrial partners enabled by Graphene Flagship, yielded an ink based on graphene and related materials (GRMs). Layering this over the PSCs caused them to drastically increase in stability.

A joint research team including scientists from the Chinese Academy of Scinces (CAS), Shijiazhuang Tiedao University in China and Chiao Tung University in Taiwan has developed a novel type of highly flexible and stable perovskite-based solar cell that could be used in wearable electronics.

The team stated that current PSCs are mainly made of a polymer substrate, which has been proven fragile, unstable and not adequately waterproof. The team built a new type of PSC based on an inorganic mica substrate, which could reduce the strain in the device even under large bending deformation. Mica is a mineral that separates easily into small flat transparent pieces of rock.

A collaborative project undertaken by researchers from ICIQ’s Palomares and Vidal groups, the Physical Chemistry of Surfaces and Interfaces group at the Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC) and IMDEA Nanociencahave has examined the interfaces in perovskite solar cells to better understand the impact that changing the materials used in such cells has on its performance.

Perovskite solar cells with different materials as HTMs

This work sheds light on the reasons behind the differences observed in perovskite solar cells’ performance by comparing four different HTMs that present close chemical and physical properties.

Researchers at EPFL, Led by Wolfgang Tress, have traced the origin of apparently high and even negative capacitance values observed in perovskite solar cells. The team has found that the large perovskite capacitances are not classical capacitances in the sense of charge storage, but just appear as capacitances because of the cells’ slow response time.

perovskite solar cells seem to hold great potential, with their highly efficient and low-cost; However, issues like weak long-term stability remain a challenge. Related to this are peculiar phenomena occurring in perovskite materials and devices, where very slow microscopic processes can cause a “memory effect” of sorts.

Researchers at NTU, lead by Assoc. Prof. Wang Hong, recently demonstrated high light extraction efficiency of perovskite photonic crystals fabricated by delicate electron-beam lithography.

The perovskite photonic crystals exhibit both emission rate inhibition and light energy redistribution simultaneously. They observed 7.9-fold reduction of spontaneous emission rate with a slower decay in perovskite photonic crystals due to photonic bandgap effect (PBG).

Researchers at Linköping University have developed efficient perovskite near-infrared (NIR) light-emitting diodes. The external quantum efficiency is a record 21.6%. The work was led by Linköping scientist Feng Gao, in close collaboration with colleagues in China, Italy, Singapore and Switzerland.

The external quantum efficiency (the ratio of charge carriers emitted as light over all of those fed into the materials) of light-emitting diodes based on perovskites has until now been limited by defects that arise in the material during manufacture. The defects act as traps for the charge carriers and thus cause energy losses.

Researchers at San Diego State University have found that perovskites can be used as catalysts to spur the chemical reactions necessary to make pharmaceutical drugs. Perovskite materials are said to be exponentially cheaper and more efficient than other catalysts used in drug synthesis. This research is funded by a three-year, $390,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant.

The team explained that photocatalysts today are made using expensive metals, such as iridium, ruthenium, rhodium, platinum, and palladium. These materials are also incredibly sensitive and require costly infrastructure — such as oxygen-free environments — that make the process of creating pharmaceuticals even more expensive. But perovskites, inexpensive hybrid materials with an organic and inorganic framework, can be used as photocatalysts.