Cosolvent Strategy in Blade-Coating Phenethylammonium Iodide Passivation Layers for Perovskite Solar Cells

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Renewable Energy
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) face defects from rapid crystallization during fabrication.
• Surface passivation with phenethylammonium iodide (PEAI) is effective but limited by spin-coating scalability.
• Blade-coating PEAI layers with isopropanol (IPA) causes unevenness and perovskite degradation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a scalable and sustainable passivation method for perovskite solar cells.
• To overcome the limitations of traditional spin-coating and IPA-based blade-coating for PEAI passivation.
• To improve the efficiency, uniformity, and stability of perovskite films.

Main Methods:

• Introducing dibutyl alcohol (TBA) as a cosolvent in PEAI passivation solutions for blade-coating.
• Utilizing TBA to enhance solution viscosity and form a stable liquid column during blade-coating.
• Evaluating the impact of TBA on film uniformity, perovskite degradation, and device performance.

Main Results:

• Blade-coating with TBA cosolvent resulted in uniform PEAI passivation layers.
• Reduced IPA-induced corrosion and improved film morphology were observed.
• Perovskite solar cell efficiency increased from 21.6% to 23.0%, with open-circuit voltage rising from 1.14 to 1.17 V.
• Enhanced moisture stability was demonstrated, with performance maintained for 3000 hours under ambient conditions.

Conclusions:

• Dibutyl alcohol is an effective cosolvent for scalable blade-coating of PEAI passivation layers.
• This strategy significantly improves perovskite solar cell performance and stability.
• The findings pave the way for industrial-scale production of efficient and durable perovskite solar cells.