by Robert Schreiber
Berlin, Germany (SPX) Dec 11, 2025
Perovskite photo voltaic cells could be made extra strong, environment friendly, scalable and cheaper to fabricate by changing indium tin oxide with single-walled carbon nanotubes within the gadget structure, in accordance with analysis led by the College of Surrey. The group studies that substituting indium tin oxide, a fragile and dear photovoltaic materials, with single-walled carbon nanotubes may help versatile perovskite modules which can be extra inexpensive and mechanically resilient.
In work led by Surrey’s Superior Expertise Institute with worldwide companions, researchers present {that a} easy sulfuric acid remedy will increase {the electrical} conductivity of carbon nanotube movies whereas preserving them sufficiently clear for daylight to succeed in the perovskite absorber beneath. The remedy additionally types a skinny nickel-based stabilising bridge layer, described as a NiSO4-NiOx interfacial layer, which improves {the electrical} connection between layers contained in the photo voltaic cell stack.
Professor Wei Zhang, lead creator from the College of Surrey’s Superior Expertise Institute, stated:
“Our course of resulted in a versatile perovskite photo voltaic cell freed from indium tin oxide that achieved greater than 20% energy conversion effectivity throughout massive areas, with small-scale units reaching a file 24.5%. It is secure to say that our personal outcomes took us all without warning.”
As a result of carbon nanotube movies could be produced utilizing roll-to-roll chemical vapour deposition, a course of already utilized in large-scale electronics manufacturing, the researchers state that this electrode technique is appropriate with industrial-scale manufacturing of versatile photo voltaic panels. They argue that this might ship high-performing versatile modules manufactured at volumes appropriate for industrial deployment.
Exams confirmed a marked enchancment in operational stability. After one month of simultaneous publicity to warmth, humidity and simulated daylight, the units retained greater than 95% of their authentic efficiency, outperforming standard indium-tin-oxide-based designs beneath related circumstances.
Professor Ravi Silva, co-author of the research and Director of the Superior Expertise Institute on the College of Surrey, stated:
“We are actually satisfied that carbon nanotube electrodes can do what indium tin oxide can’t – mix excessive efficiency with mechanical energy and low price. These outcomes carry versatile, scalable photo voltaic expertise a giant step nearer to real-world purposes.”
The group additionally assessed mechanical sturdiness by repeatedly bending the modules. Conventional indium-tin-oxide-based units misplaced almost three-quarters of their effectivity after 1,000 bends, whereas units utilizing single-walled carbon nanotube electrodes misplaced solely round 5% and confirmed no seen cracking or delamination.
Researchers examined price and environmental impacts as properly. They estimate that producing single-walled carbon nanotube movies by way of roll-to-roll chemical vapour deposition is round six instances cheaper than indium tin oxide sputtering, reducing manufacturing prices by roughly $200 per sq. metre. Since indium is scarce and energy-intensive to extract, shifting to carbon-based electrodes may lower each manufacturing prices and the general carbon footprint of photo voltaic module fabrication.
The group locations these leads to the broader context of perovskite expertise, a category of supplies usually highlighted in photo voltaic analysis for combining low-cost constituents with excessive light-harvesting effectivity. Perovskites could be processed at decrease temperatures than silicon and fashioned into mild, versatile units that may bend, curve and be built-in onto a spread of surfaces. Nevertheless, long-term stability and fragile elements have slowed industrial adoption, and the brand new electrode design goals immediately at these constraints.
Professor Wei Zhang added: “Our work tackles one of many greatest obstacles to commercialisation – price and scalability. Versatile, light-weight photo voltaic modules like these may energy the whole lot from transportable electronics to next-generation constructing supplies.”
Analysis Report:Integrating SWCNT to bridge the soundness divide in scalable and manufacturable versatile perovskite photo voltaic modules
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College of Surrey
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