Self-Assembled Monolayers for Perovskite Solar Cells: Molecular Design and Chemical Synthesis

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Renewable Energy
• Photovoltaics

Background:

• Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) have revolutionized perovskite solar cells (PSCs), driving power conversion efficiency (PCE) to 27%.
• SAMs are crucial for improving PSC stability, diversity, flexibility, and multifunctionality, paving the way for commercialization.
• Despite progress, challenges persist in optimizing SAM molecule (SAMol) design, synthesis, and achieving long-term device stability with high PCE.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review recent advancements in SAMol design for PSCs.
• To provide a comprehensive overview of synthetic pathways for SAMols.
• To highlight challenges and opportunities for SAMol applications in PSCs.

Main Methods:

• Reviewing literature on SAMol design strategies for PSCs.
• Analyzing various synthetic routes for SAMol production.
• Identifying key challenges and future research directions.

Main Results:

• Recent SAMol designs have significantly boosted PSC performance.
• Diverse synthetic pathways exist, requiring careful selection for specific SAMols.
• Optimized SAMols are key to overcoming current PSC stability and efficiency limitations.

Conclusions:

• Continued innovation in SAMol design and synthesis is essential for advancing PSC technology.
• Addressing challenges in SAMol optimization will accelerate PSC commercialization.
• Future research should focus on developing ultrastable PSCs with high, sustained PCEs.