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2-mercaptobenzothiazole exhibits dual-mode binding with perovskite organic cations that helps modulate crystallization dynamics during the manufacturing process.
Researchers at the National University of Singapore have boosted the power conversion efficiency of a tandem solar cell to 32.76 percent by adding a special molecule that helps prevent crystallization of the perovskite layer. In addition to efficiency, the molecule also improves the long-term performance of the tandem solar cell, making it a very useful addition. 
Solar energy is helpful, too, for generating electricity without carbon emissions. The technology, which has been in the works for years, has now reached commercial scales, allowing large amounts of sunlight to be captured and converted into usable energy. 
However, even the best solar panels installed at large scale can capture only about a quarter of the sun’s energy incident on them. For solar cells to truly help us transition away from fossil fuels, we need to capture much more of the sunlight received by the planet, and this is where perovskites can help. 
Perovskites are a special class of crystalline materials with superior energy-absorbing properties compared to silicon, which is used in solar cells. Additionally, they are a low-cost material, enabling solar cells to be produced at a much lower cost. However, attempts to do so have failed since perovskites are also susceptible to sudden changes in moisture, heat, or light. 
To overcome this, scientists developed the tandem solar cell, which consists of a perovskite and a silicon layer stacked on top of each other. Yet, issues of stability persist, as the silicon wafers can rapidly heat up and transfer heat to the perovskite, causing it to crystallize quickly during manufacturing. This can separate the chemical components of the tandem solar cell, reducing their overall lifetimes. 
Researchers at the National University of Singapore, along with those from Zhejiang Jinko Solar Co. Ltd. and other institutes, experimented with the molecule 2-mercaptobenzothiazole to reduce crystallization of the perovskite layers, achieving promising results. 
To arrive at the molecule that could help, the researchers first studied the formation of the perovskite layer during the tandem solar cell manufacturing process. 
“Thin silicon wafers used in tunnel oxide passivated contact tandem solar cells have reduced thermal mass and higher thermal conductivity, which accelerate heat transfer during perovskite subcell deposition,” wrote the scientists in a research paper.
“We introduce 2-mercaptobenzothiazole, which exhibits dual-mode binding with perovskite organic cations, to modulate crystallization dynamics.”
Adding the molecule slowed crystallization, allowing the formation of crystalline films with fewer defects. In prototype tandem solar cells made with this approach, the researchers reported an energy conversion efficiency of 32.76 percent after 2 months of operation. 
“The two-terminal monolithic perovskite/tunnel oxide passivated contact tandem cell achieves a certified stabilized power conversion efficiency of 32.76% and retains 91% of its initial efficiency after 1,700 h of continuous operation,” the researchers added in their paper. 
The team is hopeful that their research can be adopted by large-scale tandem cell manufacturing processes and help deliver stable, highly efficient solar cells at a commercial scale in the near future. 
The research findings were published in the journal Nature Energy.
Ameya is a science writer based in Hyderabad, India. A Molecular Biologist at heart, he traded the micropipette to write about science during the pandemic and does not want to go back. He likes to write about genetics, microbes, technology, and public policy.
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