Enhancing Stability of Perovskite Solar Cells to Moisture by the Facile Hydrophobic Passivation

Abstract

In this study, a novel and facile passivation process for a perovskite solar cell is reported. Poor stability in ambient atmosphere, which is the most critical demerit of a perovskite solar cell, is overcome by a simple passivation process using a hydrophobic polymer layer. Teflon, the hydrophobic polymer, is deposited on the top of a perovskite solar cell by a spin-coating method. With the hydrophobic passivation, the perovskite solar cell shows negligible degradation after a 30 day storage in ambient atmosphere. Suppressed degradation of the perovskite film is proved in various ways: X-ray diffraction, light absorption spectrum, and quartz crystal microbalance. This simple but effective passivation process suggests new kind of approach to enhance stability of perovskite solar cells to moisture.

Investigation of moisture stability and PL characteristics of terpineol-passivated organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite

“…A recent study by Karunadasa et al demonstrated the enhanced moisture stability of a layered 2D hybrid perovskite [25], in which phenylethylamine (PEA) not only acts as a molecule for tuning the spacing between the perovskite layers toward higher bandgap, but also provides the perovskite absorber with a hydrophobic surface, which leads to increased durability. Yong et al introduced a simple and effective passivation method to overcome water vulnerability for the perovskite solar cell [26]. By coating a hydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) layer onto the top surface of the cell, water diffusion into the perovskite cell was effectively blocked and the solar cell exhibited a significantly enhanced stability under the ambient atmosphere conditions.…”

High‐Performance Perovskite Solar Cells with Enhanced Environmental Stability Based on Amphiphile‐Modified CH3NH3PbI3

“…[ 28,29 ] However, the modifi cation of the neat iodide perovskite absorber with layered structure, [ 23,25 ] pseudo halide, [ 24 ] or bromide counterparts [ 22 ] usually lead to the deterioration of the performance with a PCE lower than 10%. Other studies were based on devices showing moderate performance (<15%).…”

Research Update: Strategies for improving the stability of perovskite solar cells

“…Hwang et al showed that they could also improve the performance lifetime of a device by spinning a layer of amorphous Teflon on top of the device. 98 Chang et al use the concept of a dense alumina layer as protective barrier and show that the atomic layer deposition of an Al 2 O 3 layer significantly improves the air-stability due to the very low oxygen and water vapor transmission of the barrier layer. 99 More challenging is the device encapsulation for devices on flexible substrates.…”