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Nature Energy (2025)
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Despite significant advancements in power conversion efficiency, thermal instability remains a key challenge for organic photovoltaics. Here we propose a stabilization strategy that addresses both intrinsic and extrinsic stability. We first introduce the UV–vis absorption onset temperature (Tonset) as a metric for evaluating the intrinsic thermal stability of polymer blends, enabling material screening. Then, we identify interfacial chemical reactions at the polymer blend/MoO3 interface as the primary extrinsic thermal degradation pathway, which can be suppressed by inserting a thin C60 interlayer that consequently improves thermal stability of the cells. Finally, by establishing quantitative models to characterize the moisture diffusion over the encapsulated cells, we can quantify the effectiveness of encapsulation. These advances enable organic photovoltaic cells with approximately 18% efficiency to retain 94% of their initial efficiency after 1,032-hour 85 °C/85% relative humidity damp heat and 200 thermal cycles (−40 °C to 85 °C) tests, among the highest stabilities reported under the damp heat (ISOS-D-3) and thermal cycling (ISOS-T-3) testing standards.
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We would like to acknowledge the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China grant numbers 22135001 (Q.L.), 22109172 (J.F.) and 22075315 (C.-Q.M.), the Chinese Academy of Sciences Special Research Assistant Program grant number E3551302 (N.W.) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences grant number YJKYYQ20180029 (C.-Q.M.). We are grateful for the technical support from the Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics for the GIWAXS and TOF-SIMS testing in Nano-X.
School of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
Jian Qin, Qian Xi, Zhen Wang, Muhammad Jawad, Qun Luo & Chang-Qi Ma
i-Lab & Printable Electronics Research Center, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, SEID, SIP, Suzhou, People’s Republic of China
Jian Qin, Qian Xi, Na Wu, Bowen Liu, Jin Fang, Zhenguo Wang, Zhen Wang, Wei Wang, Muhammad Jawad, Jinjing Qiu, Qun Luo & Chang-Qi Ma
College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, People’s Republic of China
Bowen Liu
Key Laboratory of Fluorine and Nitrogen Chemistry and Advanced Materials, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
Chao Yue & Weishi Li
Hyper PV Technology Co. Ltd., Jiaxing, China
Jin Fang
Anhui Yangde Temperature Control Technology Co., Ltd, Lu’an, People’s Republic of China
Yanbin Du
Vacuum Interconnected Nanotech Workstation (Nano-X), Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, People’s Republic of China
Qing Zhang
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J. Qin, Q.L. and C.-Q.M. conceived the idea and C.-Q.M. and Q.L. supervised the research. J. Qin performed the fabrication and characterization of organic solar cells. C.-Q.M. and J. Qin analysed and established a diffusion model for water vapour. C.-Q.M., J. Qin, Q.X., B.L., N.W. and M.J. analysed the mechanism of the thermal stability of organic solar cells. C.Y. and W.L. synthesized and provided cross-linked fullerene (PC61PeA). J.F. and J. Qiu provided assistance in the preparation and certification of high-efficiency organic solar cells. N.W. and W.W. set up the LBIC test equipment and conducted the LBIC test. Zhenguo Wang assisted in the preparation of flexible organic solar cells. Q.Z. conducted GIWAXS test on the active layer. Zhen Wang and Y.D. provided assistance in analysing the two-dimensional diffusion process of water vapour.
Correspondence to Qun Luo or Chang-Qi Ma.
The authors declare no competing interests.
Nature Energy thanks the anonymous reviewers for their contribution to the peer review of this work.
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Supplementary Notes 1–5, Figs. 1–39 and Tables 1–14.
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Qin, J., Xi, Q., Wu, N. et al. Improved damp heat and thermal cycling stability of organic solar cells. Nat Energy (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01885-8
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