Multifunctional small molecule interface management for efficient planar perovskite solar cells

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Renewable Energy
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) require optimized electron transport layers (ETLs) and interfaces for high performance.
• Interfacial defects, strain, and energy mismatches cause non-radiative recombination, limiting PSC efficiency and stability.
• Interface engineering is a key strategy to address these challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the use of Imidazolium Salt (NOI: 1N-3-acetic acid-imidazole) for interface engineering in SnO2/perovskite solar cells.
• To improve the performance and stability of PSCs by mitigating interfacial issues.
• To establish a facile method for enhancing PSC operational excellence.

Main Methods:

• Incorporation of Imidazolium Salt (NOI) at the SnO2/perovskite interface.
• Characterization of the modified interface to assess strain mitigation and defect passivation.
• Fabrication and performance testing of PSC devices with and without NOI treatment.

Main Results:

• NOI integration created a synergistic interface between SnO2 ETL and perovskite.
• NOI effectively reduced tensile strain and passivated interface defects.
• NOI treatment increased power conversion efficiency (PCE) from 21.5% to 23.3%.
• Open-circuit voltage (VOC) improved from 1.15 V to 1.18 V.

Conclusions:

• Imidazolium Salt (NOI) is an effective agent for interface engineering in PSCs.
• This method offers a concise and potent strategy for enhancing PSC performance and stability.
• The NOI-based approach contributes to the development of high-performance, hysteresis-free, and resilient PSCs.