Issue

Vol. 15 (2023)

Long-Chain Gemini Surfactant-Assisted Blade Coating Enables Large-Area Carbon-Based Perovskite Solar Modules with Record Performance

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-023-01155-w
Yumin Ren
Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Nano‑Micro Material Research, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University, Shenzhen 518055, People’s Republic of China
Kai Zhang
Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Nano‑Micro Material Research, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University, Shenzhen 518055, People’s Republic of China
Zedong Lin
Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Nano‑Micro Material Research, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University, Shenzhen 518055, People’s Republic of China
Xiaozhen Wei
Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Nano‑Micro Material Research, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University, Shenzhen 518055, People’s Republic of China
Man Xu
Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Nano‑Micro Material Research, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University, Shenzhen 518055, People’s Republic of China
Xianzhen Huang
Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Nano‑Micro Material Research, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University, Shenzhen 518055, People’s Republic of China
Haining Chen
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, People’s Republic of China
Shihe Yang
Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Nano‑Micro Material Research, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University, Shenzhen 518055, People’s Republic of China

Corresponding Author: Shihe Yang

chsyang@pku.edu.cn

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 15 (2023), Article Number: 182

Abstract

Carbon-based perovskite solar cells show great potential owing to their low-cost production and superior stability in ambient air. However, scaling up to high-efficiency carbon-based solar modules hinges on reliable deposition of uniform defect-free perovskite films over large areas, which is an unsettled but urgent issue. In this work, a long-chain gemini surfactant is introduced into perovskite precursor ink to enforce self-assembly into a network structure, considerably enhancing the coverage and smoothness of the perovskite films. The long gemini surfactant plays a distinctively synergistic role in perovskite film construction, crystallization kinetics modulation and defect passivation, leading to a certified record power conversion efficiency of 15.46% with Voc of 1.13 V and Jsc of 22.92 mA cm−2 for this type of modules. Importantly, all of the functional layers of the module are printed through a simple and high-speed (300 cm min−1) blade coating strategy in ambient atmosphere. These results mark a significant step toward the commercialization of all-printable carbon-based perovskite solar modules.


Highlights:
1 Trace amounts of long-chain gemini surfactants are essential for blade-coating of high-quality perovskite films, enabling a 17.05% efficient full printed carbon-based module (50 cm2 active area).
2 Only when the surfactant chain is over a critical length will the gemini surfactant be effective for blade-coating of perovskite films.
3 The surfactants increase the capillary number of perovskite precursor solution, reduce the local disturbance and combat inhomogeneous solidification during blade coating, thus allowing high-quality perovskite films to be formed.

Keywords

Long-chain gemini surfactant Blade-coating Capillary number Carbon-based perovskite photovoltaics All-printable module
Ren, Yumin, Kai Zhang, Zedong Lin, Xiaozhen Wei, Man Xu, Xianzhen Huang, Haining Chen, and Shihe Yang. 2023. “Long-Chain Gemini Surfactant-Assisted Blade Coating Enables Large-Area Carbon-Based Perovskite Solar Modules With Record Performance”. Nano-Micro Letters 15 (July):182. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-023-01155-w.
Download Citation
Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)
BibTeX
References
  1. NREL. Best research-cell efficiency chart (2023). https://www.nrel.gov/pv/cell-efficiency.html
  2. M. Kim, J. Jeong, H.Z. Lu, T.K. Lee, F.T. Eickemeyer et al., Conformal quantum dot-SnO2 layers as electron transporters for efficient perovskite solar cells. Science 375(6578), 302–306 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abh1885
  3. Y. Ding, B. Ding, H. Kanda, O.J. Usiobo, T. Gallet et al., Single-crystalline TiO2 nanops for stable and efficient perovskite modules. Nat. Nanotechnol. 17(6), 598–605 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-022-01108-1
  4. Y. Li, Z. Lin, J. Wang, R. Xu, K. Zhang et al., Amine salts vapor healing perfected perovskite layers for niox based p-i-n solar cells. Adv. Funct. Mater. (2022). https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202203995
  5. Z. Li, B. Li, X. Wu, S.A. Sheppard, S. Zhang et al., Organometallic-functionalized interfaces for highly efficient inverted perovskite solar cells. Science 376(6591), 416–420 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abm8566
  6. P. Calado, A.M. Telford, D. Bryant, X. Li, J. Nelson et al., Evidence for ion migration in hybrid perovskite solar cells with minimal hysteresis. Nat. Commun. 7, 13831 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13831
  7. Y.B. Yuan, J.S. Huang, Ion migration in organometal trihalide perovskite and its impact on photovoltaic efficiency and stability. Acc. Chem. Res. 49(2), 286–293 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.accounts.5b00420
  8. Y. Kato, L.K. Ono, M.V. Lee, S. Wang, S.R. Raga et al., Silver iodide formation in methyl ammonium lead iodide perovskite solar cells with silver top electrodes. Adv. Mater. Interfaces 2(13), 1500195 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.201500195
  9. K. Domanski, J.-P. Correa-Baena, N. Mine, M.K. Nazeeruddin, A. Abate et al., Not all that glitters is gold: Metal-migration-induced degradation in perovskite solar cells. ACS Nano 10(6), 6306–6314 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.6b02613
  10. L. Fagiolari, F. Bella, Carbon-based materials for stable, cheaper and large-scale processable perovskite solar cells. Energy Environ. Sci. 12(12), 3437–3472 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1039/c9ee02115a
  11. X. Zhang, Z. Yu, D. Zhang, Q. Tai, X.Z. Zhao, Recent progress of carbon-based inorganic perovskite solar cells: From efficiency to stability. Adv. Energy Mater. (2022). https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202201320
  12. A. Mei, Y. Sheng, Y. Ming, Y. Hu, Y. Rong et al., Stabilizing perovskite solar cells to iec61215:2016 standards with over 9,000-h operational tracking. Joule 4(12), 2646–2660 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2020.09.010
  13. Y. Yang, M.T. Hoang, D. Yao, N.D. Pham, V.T. Tiong et al., Spiro-ometad or cuscn as a preferable hole transport material for carbon-based planar perovskite solar cells. J. Mater. Chem. A 8(25), 12723–12734 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1039/d0ta03951a
  14. H. Chen, S. Yang, Carbon-based perovskite solar cells without hole transport materials: the front runner to the market? Adv. Mater. 29(24), 1603994 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201603994
  15. H. Zhang, J. Xiao, J. Shi, H. Su, Y. Luo et al., Self-adhesive macroporous carbon electrodes for efficient and stable perovskite solar cells. Adv. Funct. Mater. 28(39), 1802985 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201802985
  16. J. Ryu, K. Lee, J. Yun, H. Yu, J. Lee et al., Paintable carbon-based perovskite solar cells with engineered perovskite/carbon interface using carbon nanotubes dripping method. Small 13(38), 1701225 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.201701225
  17. D.-K. Lee, D.-N. Jeong, T.K. Ahn, N.-G. Park, Precursor engineering for a large-area perovskite solar cell with > 19% efficiency. ACS Energy Lett. 4(10), 2393–2401 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1021/acsenergylett.9b01735
  18. Y. Deng, X. Zheng, Y. Bai, Q. Wang, J. Zhao et al., Surfactant-controlled ink drying enables high-speed deposition of perovskite films for efficient photovoltaic modules. Nat. Energy 3(7), 560–566 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-018-0153-9
  19. S. Tang, Y. Deng, X. Zheng, Y. Bai, Y. Fang et al., Composition engineering in doctor-blading of perovskite solar cells. Adv. Energy Mater. 7(18), 1700302 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201700302
  20. M. Xu, W. Ji, Y. Sheng, Y. Wu, H. Cheng et al., Efficient triple-mesoscopic perovskite solar mini-modules fabricated with slot-die coating. Nano Energy 74, 104842 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nanoen.2020.104842
  21. Y. Hu, S. Si, A. Mei, Y. Rong, H. Liu et al., Stable large-area (10×10cm2) printable mesoscopic perovskite module exceeding 10% efficiency. Sol. RRL 1(2), 1600019 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1002/solr.201600019
  22. H. Huang, J. Shi, L. Zhu, D. Li, Y. Luo et al., Two-step ultrasonic spray deposition of CH3NH3PbI3 for efficient and large-area perovskite solar cell. Nano Energy 27, 352–358 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nanoen.2016.07.026
  23. K. Liu, Q. Liang, M. Qin, D. Shen, H. Yin et al., Zwitterionic-surfactant-assisted room-temperature coating of efficient perovskite solar cells. Joule 4(11), 2404–2425 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2020.09.011
  24. X. Zheng, Y. Deng, B. Chen, H. Wei, X. Xiao et al., Dual functions of crystallization control and defect passivation enabled by sulfonic zwitterions for stable and efficient perovskite solar cells. Adv. Mater. 30(52), 1803428 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201803428
  25. K. Ueda, M. Fujimoto, H. Noto, T. Sakaeda, S. Iwakawa, Effect of acyl chains of phosphatidylcholines on the pharmacokinetics of menatetrenone incorporated in o/w lipid emulsions prepared with phosphatidylcholines and soybean oil in rats. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 56(7), 855–859 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1211/0022357023790
  26. K. Zhang, Z. Wang, G. Wang, J. Wang, Y. Li et al., A prenucleation strategy for ambient fabrication of perovskite solar cells with high device performance uniformity. Nat. Commun. 11(1), 1006 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-14715-0
  27. S. Xiao, Y. Bai, X. Meng, T. Zhang, H. Chen et al., Unveiling a key intermediate in solvent vapor postannealing to enlarge crystalline domains of organometal halide perovskite films. Adv. Funct. Mater. 27(12), 1604944 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201604944
  28. Y. Guo, K. Shoyama, W. Sato, Y. Matsuo, K. Inoue et al., Chemical pathways connecting lead(II) iodide and perovskite via polymeric plumbate(II) fiber. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 137(50), 15907–15914 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.5b10599
  29. C. Tanford, Theory of micelle formation in aqueous-solutions. J. Phys. Chem. 78(24), 2469–2479 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1021/j100617a012
  30. Y. Nojima, K. Iwata, Viscosity heterogeneity inside lipid bilayers of single-component phosphatidylcholine liposomes observed with picosecond time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. J. Phys. Chem. B 118(29), 8631–8641 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1021/jp503921e
  31. S.K. Owusu-Ware, B.Z. Chowdhry, S.A. Leharne, M.D. Antonijevic, Phase behaviour of dehydrated phosphatidylcholines. J. Therm. Anal. Calorim. 127(1), 415–421 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-016-5957-x
  32. H. Yin, Y. Lin, J. Huang, Microstructures and rheological dynamics of viscoelastic solutions in a catanionic surfactant system. J. Colloid Interf. Sci. 338(1), 177–183 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcis.2009.05.076
  33. S. Hofmann, H. Hoffmann, Shear-induced micellar structures in ternary surfactant mixtures: the influence of the structure of the micellar interface. J. Phys. Chem. B 102(29), 5614–5624 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1021/jp980339w
  34. R. Bruinsma, W.M. Gelbart, A. Ben-Shaul, Flow-induced gelation of living (micellar) polymers. J. Chem. Phys. 96(10), 7710–7727 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.462371
  35. S.J. Weinstein, K.J. Ruschak, Coating flows. Annu. Rev. Fluid Mech. 36, 29–53 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.fluid.36.050802.122049
  36. F.M. Menger, C.A. Littau, Gemini surfactants-a new class of self-assembling molecules. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 115(22), 10083–10090 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1021/ja00075a025
  37. F.M. Menger, C.A. Littau, Gemini-surfactants: synthesis and properties. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 113(4), 1451–1452 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1021/ja00004a077
  38. S. Karaborni, K. Esselink, P.A.J. Hilbers, B. Smit, J. Karthauser et al., Simulating the self-assembly of gemini (dimeric) surfactants. Science 266(5183), 254–256 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.266.5183.254
  39. B.J. Ennis, J. Li, P. Robert, The influence of viscosity on the strength of an axially strained pendular liquid bridge. Chem. Eng. Sci. 45(10), 3071–3088 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1016/0009-2509(90)80054-I
  40. C.M. Boyce, Gas-solid fluidization with liquid bridging: A review from a modeling perspective. Powder Technol. 336, 12–29 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.powtec.2018.05.027
  41. A.Z. Zinchenko, R.H. Davis, A boundary-integral study of a drop squeezing through interp constrictions. J. Fluid Mech. 564, 227–266 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022112006001479
  42. K.J. Ruschak, Coating flows. Annu. Rev. Fluid Mech. 17, 65–89 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.fl.17.010185.000433
  43. J. Lu, L. Jiang, W. Li, F. Li, N.K. Pai et al., Diammonium and monoammonium mixed-organic-cation perovskites for high performance solar cells with improved stability. Adv. Energy Mater. 7(18), 1700444 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201700444
  44. B. Wu, H.T. Nguyen, Z. Ku, G. Han, D. Giovanni et al., Discerning the surface and bulk recombination kinetics of organic-inorganic halide perovskite single crystals. Adv. Energy Mater. 6(14), 1600551 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201600551
  45. M. Maiberg, T. Hölscher, S. Zahedi-Azad, R. Scheer, Theoretical study of time-resolved luminescence in semiconductors.III. Trap states in the band gap. J. Appl. Phys. 118(10), 105701 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4929877
  46. Z. Lin, Extraction technique of trap states based on transient photo-voltage measurement. Sci. Rep. 10(1), 12888 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-69914-y
  47. MathSciNet
  48. B. Shi, B. Liu, J. Luo, Y. Li, X. Zhang, Enhanced light absorption of thin perovskite solar cells using textured substrates. Sol. Energy Mat. Sol. C 168, 214–220 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2017.04.038
  49. F. Zhang, X. Yang, M. Cheng, J. Li, W. Wang et al., Engineering of hole-selective contact for low temperature-processed carbon counter electrode-based perovskite solar cells. J. Mater. Chem. A 3(48), 24272–24280 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1039/c5ta07507f
  50. J. Wu, Y. Cui, B. Yu, K. Liu, Y. Li et al., A simple way to simultaneously release the interface stress and realize the inner encapsulation for highly efficient and stable perovskite solar cells. Adv. Funct. Mater. (2019). https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201905336
Read More
Author biographies are not available.
Statistic
Read Counter : 2816 Download : 2076

Most read articles by the same author(s)