Interface passivation with Ti₃C₂T_x-MXene doped PMMA film for highly efficient and stable inverted perovskite solar cells

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Assuncao, Joao Pedro F. ; Lemos, Hugo G. ; Rossato, Jessica H. H. ; Nogueira, Gabriel L. ; Lima, Joao V. M. ; Fernandes, Silvia L. ; Nishihora, Rafael K. ; Fernandes, Ricardo V. ; Lourenco, Sidney A. ; Bagnis, Diego ; Santos, Sydney F. ; Graeff, Carlos F. O.

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY C; v. 12, n. 2, p. 13-pg., 2023-11-28.

Abstract

Achieving inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs) that combine high efficiency and long-term stability is still challenging due to intrinsic material issues and low tolerance to environmental factors. The use of an ultra-thin poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) layer to passivate interfacial defects as well as working as a physical barrier to extrinsic factors is promising. However, the low electrical conductivity of PMMA may have deleterious effects on charge extraction. Herein, we explored the use of Ti3C2Tx MXene as a PMMA additive (PMMA:MX) to tune the electrical features of the passivation layers. The optimal concentration of MXenes resulted in improvement of the PSC photovoltaic parameters, boosting their efficiency to 21.30 +/- 0.51% (22.1% for the benchmark PSC). Electrical characterizations indicate a reduction of trap state densities accompanied by mitigation of non-radiative recombination. These features contributed to an increase in the extraction of photo-generated carriers and a considerable enhancement of V-oc. The improved performance may be attributed to the electrical properties of MXenes and the better wettability of the PMMA:MX interface. Furthermore, the combination of hydrophobic characteristics and passivation features of the PMMA:MX layer resulted in more stable PSCs. The PMMA:MX based devices maintained 95% of their original PCE after 3000 h (ISOS-D-1I) and took 3x longer to reach T80 compared to the control PSC under heat and light soaking (ISOS-L-2). (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 20/12356-8 - Stability optimization of perovskite solar cells
• Grantee: Carlos Frederico de Oliveira Graeff
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 20/16470-0 - Development of nanocomposites based on MXenes and intrinsically conducting polymers for HTL of perovskite solar cells
• Grantee: Hugo Gajardoni de Lemos
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 21/03379-7 - Application of New Materials as Electrodes in Flexible Supercapacitors
• Grantee: João Victor Morais Lima
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 22/10998-8 - Development of perovskite and Nb2O5 films aiming at the stability of perovskite solar cells
• Grantee: Gabriel Leonardo Nogueira
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 13/07296-2 - CDMF - Center for the Development of Functional Materials
• Grantee: Elson Longo da Silva
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers - RIDC
• FAPESP's process: 19/22183-6 - Electrocatalysis VI: fundamental and applied aspects of emerging and classical problems in electrochemical energy conversion
• Grantee: Edson Antonio Ticianelli
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 20/15632-6 - Synthesis of novel MXenes materials
• Grantee: Rafael Kenji Nishihora
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral