NREL Research Explores Durability of Perovskite Solar Cells Outdoors – SolarQuarter

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) show great potential due to their high performance and low production costs compared to silicon-based cells, but stability and durability remain challenges. Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, new research examined PSC degradation under outdoor sunlight versus LEDs. A hybrid polymer material improved UV stability and efficiency in outdoor tests. The study, published in Science, involved multiple institutions including NREL and was independently verified by DOE’s PACT center.

Researchers examined UV degradation in p-i-n structured perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with hybrid hole transport materials (HTMs) and developed a method to enhance outdoor durability. They found weak chemical bonds between the perovskite, polymer HTM, and transparent conducting oxide (TCO) layers caused degradation. By strengthening these bonds with a synthesized polymer, the team improved stability. Verified by DOE’s PACT center, the optimized PSC module maintained over 16% efficiency after 29 weeks of outdoor testing, showing promise for better outdoor performance of PSCs.

“We believe this is the first published demonstration of outdoor performance showing perovskite mini modules with an area greater than 15 cm2 that had a measured aperture efficiency above 16% after 29 weeks of outdoor testing,” said Laura Schelhas, NREL chemistry researcher, deputy director of PACT, and PACT reliability team lead. “Real-world demonstration is a critical step towards commercialization, and we hope by PACT offering these capabilities researchers and companies can leverage this data toward improved reliability.”

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