Performance Maintained Even When Submerged... Perovskite Solar Cells Overcome Their Biggest Challenge [Reading Science]

KIMS Team Blocks Moisture with 'Fishing Net'-Like Molecular Network
26% Power Conversion Efficiency Achieved, Performance Recovers Even After Submersion

A next-generation perovskite solar cell technology that maintains performance even when exposed to rain or submerged in water has been developed by a Korean research team. By addressing the most significant challenge—moisture stability—hindering commercialization, this advancement is seen as a major step forward for the practical application of next-generation solar cells.

On July 21, the National Research Foundation of Korea announced that a research team led by Soyeon Kim and Dongchan Lim, Principal Researchers at the Korea Institute of Materials Science, developed a technology to significantly enhance the water resistance of perovskite solar cells by creating a molecular network resembling a fishing net.

Schematic diagram of a technology that forms a fishing net-shaped molecular network on the interface of perovskite solar cells to block moisture penetration and silver (Ag) electrode diffusion. This technology enhances the water resistance of the material itself without an external protective film, improving the durability of the solar cells. Provided by Soyeon Kim, Senior Researcher at the Korea Institute of Materials Science.

Perovskite solar cells are regarded as strong candidates for next-generation solar technology because they offer high power generation efficiency comparable to conventional silicon solar cells, but at a lower cost. However, the extreme vulnerability of these materials to moisture and oxygen has been the primary barrier to commercialization, as their performance rapidly deteriorates when exposed to rain or humidity.

Previously, encapsulation technology, which involves wrapping solar cells in a thick external protective layer, was mainly used, but this approach increased manufacturing costs and decreased flexibility.

The research team proposed a new approach: rather than blocking moisture from the outside, they strengthened the water resistance of the solar cell material itself. By using copper ions (Cu²⁺) as linkers to bind rigid organic molecules and flexible polymers, they formed a dense, fishing net-like molecular network that simultaneously suppresses moisture penetration and the movement of internal ions.

Perovskite solar cells applying a fishing net-type molecular network achieved a maximum photoelectric conversion efficiency of 26.19% across various bandgaps and demonstrated high performance and water resistance even after being submerged in water. Photo by Soyeon Kim, Senior Researcher at the Korea Institute of Materials Science.

In particular, considering real-world usage, the team conducted repeated immersion tests in which the solar cells were submerged in water. As a result, they confirmed excellent water resistance, with the cells' performance recovering even after immersion. They also achieved a photoelectric conversion efficiency of over 26% with solar cells fabricated in regular air without using specialized moisture- and oxygen-blocking equipment (glove box).

Soyeon Kim and Dongchan Lim, Principal Researchers, stated, "The key distinction of this research is that we went beyond simply protecting the surface of the solar cell and made the material itself highly resistant to water. We plan to promote the early commercialization of this technology in a variety of areas, including tandem solar cells combined with silicon, building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), and agrivoltaics."

This study was led by Muh Fadhil Albab, a researcher affiliated with the Korea Institute of Materials Science and the National Pukyong University, as the first author. The research results have been published in the international journal Nano-Micro Letters.

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