The addition of ferrocene at the perovskite/spiro-OMeTAD interface improved cell stability. After 1,250 hours, it was able to retain roughly 70% of its initial efficiency. Perovskite solar cell with a ferrocene co-mediator interlayer at the interface between the spiro-OMeTAD hole transport layer (HTL) and the active perovskite material. "Perovskite solar cells are on the cutting edge of next-generation photovoltaic technologies. "We are proud to collaborate with some of the best research teams in perovskite photovoltaics to address some key challenges for the commercialization of this low-cost and high-efficiency photovoltaic product," said Wei Zhang, the study's corresponding author. He also stated that lithium migration is critical in the degradation of spiro-OMeTAD-based devices, which is accelerated at higher temperatures, resulting in rapid perovskite degradation.
The academics described the cell in the paper A Multifaceted Ferrocene Interlayer for Highly Stable and Efficient Lithium Doped Spiro-OMeTAD-based Perovskite Solar Cells , published in Advanced Energy Materials. The research team includes scientists from Imperial College London, the University of Surrey , the University of Nottingham, research institute UCL, Switzerland-based Fluxim AG, and London South Bank University. “This work offers insights into the tendency of ferrocene to bind and immobilize lithium ions by means of the cyclopentadiene rings, such immobilization has wider applications in other lithium-containing devices such as batteries,” research co-author, Saif Haque said. “Tackling the stability of perovskite solar cells is essential for any future commercialization. In this work, we show that the inclusion of ferrocene in the solar cell device structure can improve stability. These insights could prove valuable in a wide range of practical applications beyond solar cells.”
source: pv-magazine.com