Optimizing stability of low-Cost, large-area solar modules

Applying tin dioxide to produce stable, efficient and scalable PSCs.

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Third-generation solar cells effectively convert sunlight into usable power and cost less vitality to make than conventional silicon cells. Perovskite Solar Cells (PSCs), specifically, have gathered the consideration of science and industry because of their minimal effort and high proficiency.

Despite the fact that their execution is promising in lab tests, the devices still experience the ill effects of low stability and can’t be created economically until the point that they’re worked to last.

Now, scientists at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) have resolved the weakness.

The study supports prior evidence that a commonly used material in PSCs, called titanium dioxide, degrades the devices and limits their lifetime. The researchers replaced this material with tin dioxide, a stronger conductor without these degrading properties. They optimized their method of applying tin dioxide to produce stable, efficient and scalable PSCs.

Optimizing stability of low-Cost, large-area solar modules
Optimizing stability of low-Cost, large-area solar modules

During the experiment, scientists found that tin dioxide-based devices showed lifetimes over three times longer than PSC devices using titanium dioxide. Tin dioxide stands as a viable replacement for titanium dioxide, but before this study, it had not been successfully incorporated into a large-scale device.

Utilizing a typical procedure in the business called sputtering affidavit, the specialists figured out how to make a successful electron transport layer from tin dioxide. Sputtering deposition works by bombarding the objective material, here tin dioxide, with charged particles, making it splash upwards onto a holding up surface. By absolutely controlling the intensity of the sputtering and speed of the deposition, the analysts delivered smooth layers with a uniform thickness over an extensive region.

Their new solar cells accomplished the productivity of more than 20 percent. To exhibit the adaptability of this new technique, the analysts at that point manufactured 5 by 5-centimeter sunlight based modules with an assigned area of 22.8 square-centimeters, finding that the subsequent devices appeared more than 12 percent proficiency.

This exploration, which was upheld by the OIST Technology Development and Innovation Center’s Proof-of-Concept Program, speaks to an essential advance forward towards meeting the present business standard for PSC productivity.

Scientists are now planning to continue optimizing their PSC design with the goal of producing large-scale solar modules with improved efficiency. The research unit experiments with flexible, transparent solar devices and aims to apply their optimized PSC design in solar windows, curtains, backpacks and deployable charging units.

Dr. Longbin Qiu, first author of the paper said, “We want to scale these devices up to a large size, and though their efficiency is already reasonable, we want to push it further. We are optimistic that in the next few years, this technology will be viable for commercialization.”

The study is published online in Advanced Functional Materials.

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