Excess PbI2 Management via Multimode Supramolecular Complex Engineering Enables High-Performance Perovskite Solar Cells

Hengkai Zhang, Wei Yu, Junxue Guo, Chao Xu, Zhiwei Ren, Kuan Liu, Guang Yang, Minchao Qin, Jiaming Huang, Zhiliang Chen, Qiong Liang, Dong Shen, Zehan Wu, Yaokang Zhang, Hrisheekesh Thachoth Chandran, Jianhua Hao, Ye Zhu, Chun-sing Lee, Xinhui Lu, Zijian ZhengJinsong Huang*, Gang Li*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal Publications and ReviewsRGC 21 - Publication in refereed journalpeer-review

72 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Excess PbI2 in perovskite film is an effective strategy for boosting perovskite solar cells (PSCs) performance. However, the presence of unreacted PbI2 is a critical source of intrinsic instability in perovskite under illumination, due to the photolysis of PbI2 (decomposed into metallic lead and iodine). Herein, this issue is solved by applying ionic liquids (ILs) on PSCs where the ILs can form types of stable supramolecules with residual lead iodide. The formation process and mechanism of the supramolecules are elucidated. The residual PbI2 is also revealed to cause high level lead interstitial defects and induced tensile strain which further deteriorate device performance. The self-assembled supramolecular complex can passivate the PSCs where significant enhancements are achieved in both power conversion efficiency (PCE, from 21.9% to 23.4%) and device stability (retaining 95% of the initial PCE after 4080 h in ambient dry-air storage, and 80% after 1400 h continuous light illumination).
Original languageEnglish
Article number2201663
JournalAdvanced Energy Materials
Volume12
Issue number35
Online published28 Jul 2022
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Sept 2022

Funding

G.L. thanks the support by Research Grants Council of Hong Kong (grant no. C7018-20G, C5037-18G, and GRF 15221320), Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission (Project no. JCYJ 20200109105003940), the Hong Kong Polytechnic University internal funds: Sir Sze-yuen Chung Endowed Professorship Fund (8-8480) and RISE Fund (Q-CDA5). G.L. thanks Dr. Bolong Huang's for the technical discussion of DFT part. Z.R. thanks PolyU Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellow Scheme (G-YWA9) support. K.L. thanks the Start-up Fund for RAPs under the Strategic Hiring Scheme (1-BD4G) provided by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and Guangdong Basic Research Foundation (2020A1515110156). W.Y. thanks the support by Dalian High-level Talents Innovation Support Program (2021RQ120).

Research Keywords

  • excess PbI2 management
  • ionic liquids
  • perovskite solar cells
  • IONIC LIQUID
  • HALIDE PEROVSKITES
  • STABILITY
  • ORGANIZATION
  • PASSIVATION
  • EFFICIENCY
  • SALTS

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