Biomineral-inspired mechanically tough perovskite solar cells with enhanced stability

受生物矿物启发，机械坚韧的钙钛矿太阳能电池具有增强的稳定性

• 批准号: EP/X012263/1
• 负责人: Brian Saunders
• 金额: $ 61.29万
• 依托单位: University of Manchester
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FX012263%2F1
• 关键词: Biomineral; inspired; mechanically; tough; perovskite

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are solution processable, have high efficiencies and promise low cost renewable electricity. Unfortunately, the widespread application of PSCs is being held back by their poor long-term stability. Their established rivals, crystalline-silicon solar cells, offer a 25 year operational lifetime. However, high efficiency PSCs are operationally stable for less than 6 months. Perovskites have very low mechanical toughness due to the intrinsically low energy required to separate perovskite crystals. Solar cell operation lifetime increases with mechanical toughness and we aim to exploit this relationship to greatly enhance the stability of high efficiency PSCs. Taking inspiration from highly tough natural biomaterials (such as nacre) we will use synthetic analogues of adhesive proteins to glue the crystals together and increase perovskite mechanical toughness. Our new particles are ultra-deformable nanometre-sized gel particles (termed ultra-low crosslinked nanogels, ULC nanogels). Building on our earlier work where conventional nanogels improved lead-PSC stability, novel ULC nanogels will be prepared that conformally coat and interlink perovskite crystals. They will flatten to become ultra-thin and allow charges to move unhindered between crystals. We will also study lead-free, tin-perovskites and increase their operational stability by a combination of improvements in chemical stability and mechanical toughness. The link between the mechanical toughness and PSC stability will be investigated experimentally and using state-of-the-art modelling techniques. Modelling will also be used to study the energy changes involved in chemical degradation so as to establish materials design rules for PSCs with enhanced stability. A successful outcome to this project would provide improved fundamental understanding of the interplay between perovskite mechanical toughness and stability as well as a high efficiency demonstrator(s) with a projected operation lifetime of 8 years. Such a result would bring the large-scale deployment of perovskite photovoltaics for CO2-free electricity generation closer and increase energy security.

钙钛矿太阳能电池（PSC）可进行溶液加工，具有高效率并有望提供低成本的可再生电力。不幸的是，PSC 的广泛应用因其较差的长期稳定性而受到阻碍。他们的老牌竞争对手晶体硅太阳能电池的使用寿命为 25 年。然而，高效率 PSC 的稳定运行时间不到 6 个月。由于分离钙钛矿晶体所需的能量本身较低，钙钛矿的机械韧性非常低。太阳能电池的工作寿命随着机械韧性的增加而增加，我们的目标是利用这种关系来大大提高高效 PSC 的稳定性。受到高韧性天然生物材料（例如珍珠层）的启发，我们将使用粘合蛋白的合成类似物将晶体粘合在一起并提高钙钛矿的机械韧性。我们的新颗粒是超可变形纳米尺寸的凝胶颗粒（称为超低交联纳米凝胶，ULC纳米凝胶）。在我们早期工作的基础上，传统纳米凝胶改善了铅-PSC 的稳定性，我们将制备新型 ULC 纳米凝胶，以保形涂覆和互连钙钛矿晶体。它们会变平，变得超薄，并允许电荷在晶体之间不受阻碍地移动。我们还将研究无铅、锡钙钛矿，并通过化学稳定性和机械韧性的改进来提高其操作稳定性。将使用最先进的建模技术通过实验研究机械韧性和 PSC 稳定性之间的联系。建模还将用于研究化学降解过程中涉及的能量变化，从而为具有增强稳定性的PSC建立材料设计规则。该项目的成功成果将提高对钙钛矿机械韧性和稳定性之间相互作用的基本了解，并提供预计运行寿命为 8 年的高效演示器。这样的结果将使大规模部署钙钛矿光伏发电以实现无二氧化碳发电并提高能源安全。

项目成果

Structurally colored semitransparent perovskite solar cells using one-step deposition of self-ordering microgel particles.

使用自排序微凝胶颗粒一步沉积的结构彩色半透明钙钛矿太阳能电池。

• DOI: http://dx.10.1039/d4ra00324a
• 发表时间: 2024
• 期刊: RSC advances
• 影响因子: 3.9
• 作者: Alkhudhari OM