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Updated: Sep 17, 2025
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Influence of Hybrid Perovskite Fabrication Methods on Film Formation, Electronic Structure, and Solar Cell Performance
Published on: February 27, 2017
18.6K
Cross-linked multifunctional bilayer polymer buffer for enhanced efficiency and stability in perovskite solar cells.
Yuheng Li1, Lin Li1,2, Haipeng Zeng1
1Michael Grätzel Center for Mesoscopic Solar Cells, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan, 430074, China.
Nature Communications
|July 2, 2025
Summary
A new bilayer polymer buffer effectively stabilizes perovskite solar cells (PSCs) by preventing metal diffusion and improving electron transport. This breakthrough enhances both efficiency and operational stability for next-generation solar technologies.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Renewable Energy
- Photovoltaics
Background:
- Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) face stability issues due to chemical interactions between metal electrodes and perovskite layers.
- Mitigating metal atom diffusion and interfacial recombination is crucial for high-performance PSCs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design a multifunctional polymer buffer to enhance the stability and efficiency of PSCs.
- To address metal/ion interdiffusion at the metal electrode/transporting layer interface.
Main Methods:
- A bilayer polymer buffer composed of polyethyleneimine (PEI) and 2-((2-methyl-3-(2-((2-methylbutanoyl)oxy)ethoxy)-3-oxopropyl)thio)-3-(methylthio)succinic acid (PDMEA) was designed.
- The buffer was inserted at the metal electrode/transporting layer interface to mitigate metal diffusion via chelation and facilitate electron transport through in-situ cross-linking.
Main Results:
- The PEI/PDMEA buffer effectively mitigated metal atom diffusion by forming thioether-metal-carboxyl chelation rings.
- In-situ cross-linking between PDMEA and PEI suppressed interfacial recombination and facilitated electron transport.
- PSCs with the PEI/PDMEA buffer achieved certified power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 26.46% (0.1 cm²).
- Enhanced thermal and operational stability was demonstrated for the fabricated PSCs.
Conclusions:
- The bilayer polymer buffer design strategy effectively enhances PSC stability and performance.
- This approach of cross-linking polymers with distinct functionalities offers a pathway for developing robust buffers for PSCs and other electronic devices.
