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The cell demonstrated strong durability, retaining 90 percent of its initial efficiency after 625 hours of continuous illumination.
A team of Chinese scientists has advanced next-generation perovskite-organic tandem solar cells.
Reportedly, the solar cell achieved a record-breaking 28.04% steady-state power conversion efficiency. The development comes from the Institute of Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Interestingly, the cell demonstrated strong durability, retaining 90 percent of its initial efficiency after 625 hours of continuous illumination.
“The perovskite–organic TSC retained 90% of its initial PCE after 625 h of operation under the ISOS-L-1 protocol,” the study explained in technical terms.
Standard silicon solar panels are inherently heavy and costly to produce. In contrast, next-generation tandem solar cells use a stacked, multi-layered design resembling a club sandwich.
In this method, layers are formed by combining different materials. Each layer is optimized to absorb a distinct wavelength of the solar spectrum. Overall, it allows the cell to harvest sunlight far more efficiently than standard silicon cells.
Wide-bandgap (WBG) perovskites used in tandem solar cells are prone to structural instability. Specifically, high bromine (Br) content leads to uneven chemical mixing during manufacturing and “halide segregation” (element separation) when exposed to light, which degrades cell performance.
To stabilize the solar cell, researchers introduced a light-sensitive additive called TDB, which operates in a two-stage process. First, TDB slows the rapid precipitation of bromine during crystallization. The process ensures that all chemical elements mix completely and uniformly when the mixture is baked.
Then, once the cell is exposed to sunlight, the additive undergoes a molecular transformation that enables it to bind tightly to the perovskite’s grain boundaries. This blocks defects and halts ion migration, preventing the material from separating over time.
With the TDB additive, the single wide-bandgap solar cell achieved a highly efficient power conversion rate of 20.01 percent. It also exhibited exceptional performance metrics, with a high open-circuit voltage of 1.42 volts and a strong fill factor of 85.13 percent.
When integrated with an organic bottom cell into a monolithic tandem solar cell, it achieved a peak PCE of 28.80% and a certified steady-state PCE of 28.04%.
“By integrating the WBG perovskite solar cell into a monolithic perovskite–organic TSC, we achieved a PCE of 28.80% with a certified steady-state PCE of 28.04%,” the study noted.
These thin-film solar cells can be printed onto flexible plastic like low-temperature ink. This adaptability opens the door to everyday integration and could turn skyscraper windows, smart clothing, and portable hiking gear into active, clean energy sources.
And with an ultra-lightweight design boasting a massive power-to-weight ratio, these cells could also be used in satellites and deep-space exploration missions. On Earth or among the stars, the next generation of energy will be flexible, durable, and remarkably fast.
Just as Chinese researchers are breaking barriers, scientists in Germany also reached a milestone in the global sprint toward the next generation of clean energy. A collaborative team from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin achieved 25.5 percent sunlight-to-electricity conversion with a custom-built tandem solar cell.
The study was published in the journal Nature.
Mrigakshi is a science journalist who enjoys writing about space exploration, biology, and technological innovations. Her work has been featured in well-known publications including Nature India, Supercluster, The Weather Channel and Astronomy magazine. If you have pitches in mind, please do not hesitate to email her.
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