Dopant-Free Hole-Transport Material for Perovskite Solar Cells [Video]

by | Sep 14, 2018

A dopant-free hole-transport material (HTM) for perovskite solar cells is synthesized in only two steps.

Perovskite solar cells have dramatically improved in power conversion efficiency (PCE) since their advent. However, further improvement relies on developing hole-transport materials (HTMs) that are dopant-free.

In an article in Advanced Materials, Prof. Alex K.-Y. Jen of the University of Washington and City University of Hong Kong, Prof. Baomin Xu from Southern University of Science and Technology, and their co-workers design a dopant-free HTM based on an alternating co-polymer, dithiophene–benzene (DTB), which can be easily synthesized in only two steps.

Typically, a face-on orientation, where the π–π stacking direction is perpendicular to the perovskite layer, is the criterion for HTMs. In this work, an edge-on orientation, where π–π stacking occurs parallel to the perovskite layer, is realized. This results in an intensive exposure between the HTM and the perovskite layer.

A perovskite solar cell based on the DTB HTM was constructed. The DTB HTM showed a stronger hole extraction and defect passivation ability compared with the benchmark HTM, spiro-OMeTAD. A PCE of 19.68% was achieved, which is comparable to that of spiro-OMeTAD.

To find out more about this dopant-free HTM, please visit the Advanced Materials homepage.

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