We are delighted to announce that our latest research breakthrough has been published in the ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces journal. This research marks a significant milestone in the field of flexible solar cells, opening up new possibilities for commercial applications. In the realm of solar energy, traditional transparent conductive oxide anodes and noble metal cathodes have been limited by their fragility and high manufacturing costs. However, in collaboration with the Beijing University of Chemical Technology, our research team has successfully addressed these challenges and introduced a novel and highly simplified solar cell structure.
Structure schematic diagram and cross-sectional SEM image of AC-R-PSC device.
In this study, we present the architecture of an all-carbon-electrode flexible perovskite solar cell (AC-F-PSC), which includes PEN/carbon/SnO2/perovskite/carbon layers. The anode comprises a carbon-based integrator (CNT-GR) composed of carbon nanotubes and a small amount of graphene, while the cathode is made of commonly used conductive carbon. This structure not only exhibits exceptional electrical performance but also offers significant advantages in terms of cost-effectiveness and flexibility.
Optimized structures of (a) graphene and (b) carbon nanotube on the SnO2 with oxygen vacancy
Density functional theory calculations revealed that oxygen atoms from graphene strongly bond with bond-deficient tin ions, inhibiting the formation of oxygen vacancies in SnO2. This bonding effect results in a substantial reduction in the conduction band minimum of SnO2, facilitating efficient carrier transport at the SnO2/perovskite interface. Furthermore, a heat-pressing technique was employed to fill gaps at the perovskite/carbon cathode interface. As a result, the AC-F-PSC device achieved an efficiency of 13.14%, setting a record among reported carbon-electrode F-PSCs. Notably, it retained approximately 71% of its initial efficiency after undergoing 4000 cycles of bending with a 4 mm bending radius.
This all-carbon-electrode-based perovskite solar cell represents a promising pathway towards the development of robust and cost-effective flexible photovoltaic devices. We anticipate that this discovery will have a positive impact on the field of sustainable energy, pushing solar cell technology to new heights and providing more sustainable energy solutions for our environment and future.
