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Updated: Nov 5, 2025
Influence of Hybrid Perovskite Fabrication Methods on Film Formation, Electronic Structure, and Solar Cell Performance
Published on: February 27, 2017
Increasing Stability of SnO2-Based Perovskite Solar Cells by Introducing an Anionic Conjugated Polyelectrolyte for
Chao Tan1, Wenting Xu1, Yihong Huan1
1Jiangsu National Synergistic Innovation Centre for Advanced Materials (SICAM), Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (KLOFE) & Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing Tech University (NanjingTech), 30 South Puzhu Road, Nanjing 211816, P.R. China.
Sulfonic-containing polyfluorene (SPF) enhances perovskite solar cell (PSC) stability by improving interfacial properties. SPF-modified PSCs retained 94% efficiency after 40 days, significantly outperforming unmodified cells.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Renewable Energy
- Photovoltaics
Background:
- Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) show promise for commercialization due to high power conversion efficiency (PCE).
- Key challenges for PSCs include long-term operational stability and degradation under ambient conditions.
- Interface engineering is crucial for improving both efficiency and stability in PSC devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel interfacial modification strategy for enhancing the stability of perovskite solar cells.
- To investigate the impact of an anionic conjugated polyelectrolyte, sulfonic-containing polyfluorene (SPF), on the SnO2/MAPbI3 interface.
- To evaluate the performance and stability improvements in PSCs incorporating the SPF interfacial layer.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis and characterization of sulfonic-containing polyfluorene (SPF) as an interfacial layer.
- Fabrication of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with and without the SPF layer at the SnO2/MAPbI3 interface (n-i-p configuration).
- Long-term stability testing under controlled atmospheric conditions (dark, ~10% humidity) and electrical performance characterization (PCE, Jsc, carrier resistance, leakage current).
Main Results:
- SPF-modified PSCs retained 94% of their initial PCE after 40 days of storage, while control cells degraded to 31.1% after 29 days.
- The SPF layer improved interfacial energy level alignment, enhanced perovskite crystallinity, and passivated interfacial defects.
- SPF-modified devices exhibited reduced carrier transfer resistance, lower leakage current, minimized interfacial charge accumulation, and improved short-circuit current density, achieving a PCE of 20.47%.
Conclusions:
- Introducing a hydrophobic and smooth SPF interfacial layer significantly enhances the operational stability of perovskite solar cells.
- SPF modification effectively addresses key degradation pathways by optimizing the electron-transporting layer/perovskite active layer interface.
- This interfacial engineering approach offers a promising route towards developing commercially viable, stable, and efficient perovskite solar cells.
