Indian scientists changed Spiro-OMeTAD with copper thiocyanate (CuSCN) as a hole-carrying materials in a perovskite photo voltaic cell. They are saying the brand new precursor can supply the identical degree of effectivity, whereas minimizing moisture leakage.
Researchers at India’s Division of Science and Know-how have produced a perovskite photo voltaic cell with a hole-transporting materials (HTM) product of copper thiocyanate (CuSCN), an inorganic semiconductor with a large power bandgap of three.9 eV .
In “Twin-functional inorganic CuSCN for environment friendly gap extraction and moisture binding in MAPbI3 perovskite photo voltaic cells” – not too long ago printed in Materials Developments – the scientists defined that CuSCN emerged as a powerful HTM to exchange the Spiro-OMeTAD precursor as a result of the latter results in moisture ingress into the cell, which in flip weakens the perovskite absorber and reduces the photo voltaic cell efficiency.
“With good transparency within the seen and near-infrared areas, the suitable band positions of CuSCN-based gadgets present corresponding effectivity,” they mentioned. “The answer’s low-temperature processability, cost-effectiveness, and reproducibility make the trade viable.”
The scientists constructed the cell utilizing a fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate, a titanium oxide (TiO2) electron transport layer, a halide perovskite referred to as α-formamidinium lead iodide referred to as α-FAPbI3, the CuSCN HTM, and gold (Au) steel contacts.
“MAPbI3 The movies are deposited by a one-step course of,” they mentioned. “The perovskite movies are then coated on the hole-carrying materials, adopted by thermal evaporation of Au at a strain of 10-6 mbar. For HTM-free structure, MAPbI3 the movies are coated with gold with none HTM placement.”
The lecturers evaluated the efficiency of the photo voltaic cell and in contrast it to a reference photo voltaic cell with the identical configuration and a Spiro-OMeTAD HTM. The measurements present that the CuSCN-based machine achieves an influence conversion effectivity of 10.1%, in comparison with 10.0% for the reference cell.
“The CuSCN-based cell retains 70% of its preliminary effectivity because of the secure nature of CuSCN HTM, which is demonstrated in gadgets that exhibit a excessive water contact angle,” they mentioned.
They famous that the cell comprises lowered moisture leakage within the machine, which is typical of cells utilizing Spiro-OMeTAD.
“The function of the CuSCN-Au interface right here is proven to behave solely as a protecting layer of the perovskite movie by stopping moisture penetration, in contrast to spiro-Au and MAPbI3-Au interface, which facilitates straightforward penetration,” they concluded. “This examine exhibits that the perovskite coating of CuSCN HTM serves as a moisture safety layer with none modifications to the interface or the perovskite absorber layer.”
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