Researchers from the Energy & Environment Materials Research Division of the Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS) developed a highly durable flexible perovskite solar cell that remains stable even under high humidity conditions. This could enable the production of perovskite solar cells in ambient air, which would reduce manufacturing costs. They published their findings in Chemical Engineering Journal.
High-efficiency, durable and flexible perovskite solar cell that is stable in high humidity. Credit KIMS
Perovskite is an oxide mineral composed of calcium titanate and could be an alternative to common crystalline silicon solar panels. Although perovskite panels have been shown to be more efficient than silicon, they don’t last nearly as long — 2.5 years to silicon’s 30.
According to Solar Magazine, the manufacturing prices for both panels are currently similar, but they estimate that perovskite panels could cost around $0.10 per watt in the future. According to Nen Power, silicon solar panels currently cost $0.60 – $1.30 per watt to produce.
Combining flexibility with durability using 2D materials
Although perovskite has gained attention as a potential alternative to silicon, there are still a few drawbacks. Namely, the much shorter lifespan. An additional drawback is that perovskite is vulnerable to humidity, which makes manufacturing difficult as it requires a low-humidity or inert gas environment. Additionally, preserving durability while producing flexible perovskite panels presents another challenge.
This team used two-dimensional perovskite materials on either side of the light-absorbing cell. This strategy created a solar cell that is both flexible and durable. Additionally, the new cell is stable in humid conditions up to 50% humidity.
The solar cells retained 85% of their efficiency after 2,800 hours of operation, approximately 117 days. Furthermore, the devices maintained 96% of their efficiency after 10,000 bending cycles and 87% efficiency in extreme shear-sliding tests. The technology has also been shown to be scalable, as it was applied to large-area continuous production processes.
“With this technology, it is now possible to manufacture high-efficiency perovskite solar cells in ambient air without costly equipment, significantly reducing production costs,” said Dr. Dong-chan Lim, the lead researcher at KIMS, “In particular, the durability of the flexible devices makes them promising candidates for applications in wearable electronics and vehicle-integrated solar power systems.”
The team plans to continue to develop durable solar cell materials that could be utilized in domestic and international environments while reducing manufacturing costs. They also aspire to further advance large-area solar cell processing technologies for full commercialization.
