Issue

Vol. 17 (2025)

Atomically Dispersed Metal Atoms: Minimizing Interfacial Charge Transport Barrier for Efficient Carbon-Based Perovskite Solar Cells

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-024-01639-3
Yanying Shi
State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontier Science Center for Smart Materials, School of Chemistry, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, People’s Republic of China
Xusheng Cheng
School of Narcotics Control and Public Order Studies, Criminal Investigation Police, University of China, Shenyang 110854, People’s Republic of China
Yudi Wang
State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontier Science Center for Smart Materials, School of Chemistry, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, People’s Republic of China
Wenrui Li
State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontier Science Center for Smart Materials, School of Chemistry, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, People’s Republic of China
Wenzhe Shang
State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontier Science Center for Smart Materials, School of Chemistry, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, People’s Republic of China
Wei Liu
State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontier Science Center for Smart Materials, School of Chemistry, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, People’s Republic of China
Wei Lu
State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontier Science Center for Smart Materials, School of Chemistry, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, People’s Republic of China
Jiashuo Cheng
State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontier Science Center for Smart Materials, School of Chemistry, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, People’s Republic of China
Lida Liu
State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontier Science Center for Smart Materials, School of Chemistry, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, People’s Republic of China
Yantao Shi
State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontier Science Center for Smart Materials, School of Chemistry, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, People’s Republic of China

Corresponding Author: Yantao Shi

shiyantao@dlut.edu.cn

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 17 (2025), Article Number: 125

Abstract

Carbon-based perovskite solar cells (C-PSCs) exhibit notable stability and durability. However, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) is significantly hindered by energy level mismatches, which result in interfacial charge transport barriers at the electrode-related interfaces. Herein, we report a back electrode that utilizes atomically dispersed metallic cobalt (Co) in carbon nanosheets (Co1/CN) to adjust the interfacial energy levels. The electrons in the d-orbitals of Co atoms disrupt the electronic symmetry of the carbon nanosheets (CN), inducing a redistribution of the electronic density of states that leads to a downward shift in the Fermi level and a significantly reduced interfacial energy barrier. As a result, the C-PSCs using Co1/CN as back electrodes achieve a notable PCE of 22.61% with exceptional long-term stability, maintaining 94.4% of their initial efficiency after 1000 h of continuous illumination without encapsulation. This work provides a promising universal method to regulate the energy level of carbon electrodes for C-PSCs and paves the way for more efficient, stable, and scalable solar technologies toward commercialization.


Highlights:
1 Atomically dispersed metal atoms effectively enhance energy level alignment and reduce energy losses at the electrode interfaces.
2 The optimized carbon-based perovskite solar cells achieve a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 22.61% and maintain 94.4% of their initial PCE after 1000 h under continuous illumination without encapsulation.

Keywords

Perovskite solar cells Carbon electrode Charge transport Energy level alignment
Shi, Yanying, Xusheng Cheng, Yudi Wang, Wenrui Li, Wenzhe Shang, Wei Liu, Wei Lu, Jiashuo Cheng, Lida Liu, and Yantao Shi. 2025. “Atomically Dispersed Metal Atoms: Minimizing Interfacial Charge Transport Barrier for Efficient Carbon-Based Perovskite Solar Cells”. Nano-Micro Letters 17 (January):125. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-024-01639-3.
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