Solar RRL最新文献

Antimony selenide (Sb₂Se₃) thin films have attracted significant interest for developing low-cost, hazardous-element-free photovoltaic technology. While the initial progress in Sb₂Se₃ solar cells was rapid, the growth of power conversion efficiency slowed down. High open-circuit voltage (V_OC) deficit is recognized as the critical performance-reducing factor, barely reaching 50% of the radiative limit even in the record-efficiency solar cells. In this article, using heat treatment under sulfur atmosphere and Cl-doping, we investigate passivation strategies by measuring photoluminescence (PL) emission. We show that the PL response was strongly enhanced after the S-treatment and correlated with the level of incorporated S. From absolute PL measurements, a quasi-Fermi-level splitting of 562 meV was achieved in Cl-doped Sb₂Se₃ thin films and annealed under optimal conditions. This article provides a technological route for reducing nonradiative recombination in Sb₂Se₃ which is a highly encouraging process for mitigating V_OC deficit in Sb₂Se₃ solar cells.

Additive engineering is a critical strategy for enhancing the quality of perovskite thin films and the photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein, rubidium chloride (RbCl) was incorporated to regulate the properties of perovskite thin films and their devices. Experimental results demonstrate that RbCl improves the crystallinity of perovskite films, increases grain size, and enables the formation of compact, uniform perovskite films, which effectively suppress interfacial charge recombination. Consequently, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of PSCs was boosted from 13.18% (control) to 17.08% (RbCl-modified). Additionally, the RbCl-modified devices exhibited enhanced stability, retaining 92% of their initial efficiency after 700 h of storage. This work highlights RbCl as a simple yet effective additive for simultaneously enhancing the PCE and operational stability of hole transport layer-free carbon-based PSCs.

The close interfacial contact between NiO_x and self-assembled monolayers (SAM) is crucial for enhancing the efficiency and stability of inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The commonly used phosphonic acid-based SAMs as the interfacial layer on NiO_x have proven effective in improving photovoltaic performance of PSCs, but poor wetting and heterogeneous distribution of SAMs give rise to unwanted interfacial losses and thus limiting further enhancement of the device performance. Herein, a carboxyl/phosphoryl synergistic-functionalized SAM by incorporating 4-pyrazolecarboxylic acid (4-PCA) into self-assembled [4-(3,6-dimethyl-9H-carbazol-9-yl) butyl] phosphonic acid (Me-4PACz), is proposed. The carboxyl groups of 4-PCA coabsorbed with Me-4PACz on NiO_x are discovered to effectively fill the molecular vacancies retained in Me-4PACz SAM through bidentate coordination, forming a compact and homogeneous 4-PCA/Me-4PACz SAM. Such SAM significantly strengthens the NiO_x/perovskite interfacial contact, thereby promoting oriented perovskite crystallization, accelerating hole extraction, and reducing nonradiative recombination. As a result, the inverted PSCs based on the 4-PCA/Me-4PACz SAM achieve a power conversion efficiency of 23.84%, which outperforms the control device with Me-4PACz SAM (21.47%). Additionally, the device retaining 90.8% of their initial efficiency after 1000 h of storage in ambient air (25%–50% relative humidity) without encapsulation, highlighting improved interfacial integrity and device durability.

Perovskites have emerged as a leading candidate material for next-generation photovoltaics, owing to exceptional optoelectronic characteristics such as high absorption coefficients, extended carrier diffusion length, and bandgap tunability, as well as low-cost solution-processability. However, critical issues persist at the buried interface between perovskite and charge transport layers, including uncoordinated ions, pinhole defects, and energy level mismatches. These defects trigger severe nonradiative recombination and ion migration, fundamentally limiting the device efficiency and stability. Herein, we propose a selective passivation strategy of perovskite/electron transport layer buried interface via ultrafast photoexcitation by direct irradiation from the glass side with femtosecond laser pulses. At the optimal femtosecond pulse irradiation fluence, the buried interface between perovskite and tin oxide is directly treated to suppresses interface recombination centers, reduces the electron extraction time, and increases the short-circuit current density (J_sc), thereby optimizing the charge transport efficiency. The small-area devices achieved a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 24.18% and retained 98% of its initial PCE after 700-h aging, while a mini-module attained a PCE of 15.58%. This method paves the way for the efficient and stable fabrication of perovskite solar cells toward industrialization, offering critical technical support for their commercialization.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have emerged as a leading photovoltaic technology, thanks to their remarkable power conversion efficiency (PCE) and cost-effectiveness. Despite achieving PCEs over 26%, the interface between the perovskite layer and the electron transport layer continues to be a significant barrier to achieving even higher PCEs and ensuring long-term stability. This study presents a molecular engineering strategy through stereoisomeric modulation of thiourea derivatives, comparing N,N′-diphenylthiourea (DPT) with its structural isomer 1,1-DPT as interfacial passivators. The distinct spatial configurations of these isomers fundamentally govern their defect-passivation capabilities. The 1,1-DPT isomer, featuring optimized bidentate coordination geometry, demonstrates superior binding affinity with undercoordinated Pb²⁺ defects through dual SPb and NPb interactions. Both device testing and density functional theory analyses confirm that these stronger bonding interactions lead to a reduction in defect densities. Benefitting from the exceptional passivation properties of 1,1-DPT, the device achieved an impressive efficiency of 25.86% coupled with superior operational stability. This work establishes a new paradigm for precision molecular design in PSC engineering, demonstrating that strategic manipulation of isomer-specific adsorption configurations can synergistically address both structural and electronic defects at critical interfaces.

The growing demand for flexible and autonomous electronics hasaccelerated the development of compact energy systems capable of both harvesting and storing solar energy. Photobatteries and photocapacitorsrepresent a new generation of self-charging devices that merge photovoltaic and electrochemical functions within a single structure. These systems overcome the conversion losses and bulkiness of conventional solar-battery combinations, enabling miniaturized, efficient, and sustainable power sources. This review summarizes recent progress in materials, architectures, and design strategies for compact photostorage systems. This work will focus, in particular, on two-terminal (2T) monolithic configurations that provide the highest integration level. Advances in inorganic semiconductors such as transition-metal oxides, sulfides, and lead-free perovskites, as well as organic materials including conductive polymers, dyes, and carbon nanostructures, have greatly enhanced photo-charge generation, mobility, and retention. Furthermore, innovations in gel and solid-state electrolytes have improved flexibility, safety, and long-term stability. Despite significant progress, major challenges remain in mitigating charge recombination, optimizing energy density and standardizing performance evaluation. By integrating recent results and emerging trends, this review outlines key directions for the rational design of next-generation self-powered photostorage systems that could underpin the future of portable, wearable, and sustainable energy technologies.

The transition to sustainable energy requires efficient technologies for solar-driven hydrogen production. Quantum dots (QDs), with size-tunable bandgaps and favorable interfacial properties, significantly enhance photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting by enabling broad-spectrum light harvesting, optimized band alignment, and improved charge separation. However, QD design strategies for PEC systems remain less developed compared to those for light-emitting diodes and solar cells, constrained by incomplete understanding of interfacial photophysics, limited exploration of low-dimensional nanocrystals (1D/2D), and the absence of AI-assisted optimization. This review provides a comprehensive overview of material design strategies for QDs in PEC hydrogen production, encompassing fundamental principles, established approaches, and recent advances in both heavy-metal-based and nontoxic systems. Particular attention is given to emerging paradigms such as dimensional control and AI-driven optimization, which enable predictive modeling, accelerated synthesis, and performance tuning beyond conventional trial-and-error methods. Finally, we address critical challenges—including stability, toxicity, and scalability—and outline future directions for achieving efficient, sustainable QD-based PEC systems suitable for practical and economically viable commercialization.

Enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen (H₂) evolution is realized by improving light harvesting via the multiscattering of incident light from embedded cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) nanoparticles in hybrid hydrogels. Due to the different refractive indices of CNC nanoparticles and hybrid acrylate-based hydrogels, instead of direct penetration through the hybrid hydrogels, the incident light can be multiscattered by the CNC nanoparticles in the hybrid hydrogels. It significantly improves the light harvesting capability and favors the photocatalytic H₂ evolution. In addition, the CNC nanoparticles possess a certain number of negative charges, which is beneficial for the efficient separation of photogenerated charge carriers and enhancement of H₂ evolution performance. Hence, the averaged H₂ evolution rate of hybrid hydrogels embedded with 0.5 wt% of CNC (CNC_0.5) can reach 2266 μmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹, which is 154% of that of the hybrid hydrogels without CNC nanoparticles. Further increasing the amount of embedded CNC nanoparticles, the photocatalytic H₂ evolution is reduced. It can be attributed to the aggregation of nanoparticles, which reduces the specific surface area and lowers the light harvesting. Based on the improved H₂ evolution performance, the g-C₃N₄/Pt hydrogels embedded with CNC nanoparticles can be used for H₂ production in areas rich in solar energy but lack of water.

The global deployment of photovoltaic (PV) systems is projected to exceed 4.5 TW by 2050, with cumulative end-of-life (EoL) module waste surpassing 60 million tonnes. Effective recycling of crystalline silicon (c-Si) modules is therefore critical to ensure the sustainability of solar energy. This review describes the progress across recycling routes, including mechanical, thermal, chemical, and emerging hybrid approaches, while evaluating their techno-economic and policy implications. Mechanical recycling, currently the most commercialized method, achieves recovery rates of 80%–90% for bulk glass and aluminum but results in contamination losses of silver and high-purity silicon. Thermal processes such as pyrolysis and incineration recover silicon with purities up to 99.9999% and silver with recovery rates above 90%, although they require temperatures exceeding 500°C and incur significant energy costs. Chemical dissolution offers the highest selectivity, with silver recovery above 95% and near-complete ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) removal, but the use of toxic solvents and long reaction cycles limit industrial adoption. Hybrid strategies combining mechanical pretreatment with chemical or thermal steps have demonstrated material recovery exceeding EU WEEE Directive targets (85% recovery, 80% reuse). Economic analyses suggest potential revenues of $11–12 per module, driven largely by silver and glass recovery, but profitability remains sensitive to logistics and commodity price fluctuations. Policy frameworks such as extended producer responsibility (EPR) in the EU, mandatory recycling programs in Washington State, and emerging circular economy laws in China illustrate the critical role of governance in scaling recycling. The review concludes that advancing eco-friendly solvents, low-energy thermal designs, and harmonized global policies will be pivotal to achieving circularity in PV systems.

The photocatalytic efficiency of conjugated polymers is critically bottlenecked by the rapid recombination of photogenerated excitons. Inspired by the charge-separation principle of Photosystem II, we report a molecular D-π-A₁-A₂ cascade acceptor architecture featuring an electron springboard for achieving persistent, long-range charge separation. Realized in the polymer Py-A-Pd-BT (D-π-A₁-A₂), this design operates through a synergistic dual mechanism: it establishes a stepwise energy gradient for directional electron relay, while simultaneously enhancing the molecular dipole (2.51 D) to generate a strong internal electric field (surface photovoltage = 54.5 mV). The dual-driver mechanism results in markedly improved charge separation dynamics, as evidenced by near-complete photoluminescence quenching and a threefold extension of charge carrier lifetime (3.41 ns). Consequently, the Py-A-Pd-BT (D-π-A₁-A₂) system enables an exceptional hydrogen evolution rate of 23.7 mmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹, surpassing its D-π-A₁ and D-π-A₂ counterparts by factors of 14.8 and 8.2, respectively. This article establishes the cascaded acceptor architecture as a generalized and powerful design strategy for high-performance polymer photocatalysts.