Publication date: 14th September 2021
Mesoscopic carbon-based perovskite solar cells (CPSCs) are frequently described as a potential frontrunner for PSC commercialization. Previous work has introduced γ-valerolactone (GVL) as a sustainable, non-toxic, green alternative to GBL for CPSC perovskite precursors. In this work, methanol (MeOH) solvent additives are applied to enhance the performance and reproducibility of GVL-based precursors, through improving electrode wetting, infiltration, and perovskite crystal quality. Precursors incorporating 10% MeOH are found to enhance reproducibility and performance, achieving a champion PCE of 13.82% in a 1 cm2 device and >9% in a 220 cm2 module fabricated in ambient conditions. Stability is also improved, with an unencapsulated MeOH device exhibiting a T80 of >420 hours at 50oC in ambient humidity under AM1.5 illumination.
This work could make green GVL-based precursors more commercially attractive and provides an example of how green solvent engineering can be applied in the development, amelioration and scale-up of novel renewable technologies.