University of Utah researchers recently used temperature-dependent absorption and emission spectroscopy, as well as X-ray diffraction, to study the phase transition behaviors of Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) metal-halide hybrid perovskites. RP perovskites are a type of layered material made from alternating sheets of inorganic and organic components. These materials are potentially ideal for several applications, including light-emitting diodes (LEDs), thermal energy storage and solar-panel technology. 

Image from: Matter

A phase transition is a discrete change from one state of matter to another (such as ice to liquid water). Some substances, including water and perovskites, have multiple solid states with different properties. The U of Utah team demonstrated a connection between phase transitions and the material’s emissive properties. This introduces a form of dynamic control, or tunability, that offers multiple benefits for technological applications. Specifically, because perovskites contain both organic and inorganic components, the organic layers undergo phase transitions that influence the structure of the inorganic layers. The interplay of the organic and inorganic layers drastically alters the material’s properties.

A research team led by Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Fraunhofer ISE) and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia has developed a high bandgap, inorganic perovskite absorber, CsPbI2Br, using thermal evaporation at room temperature, eliminating the need for post-deposition annealing.

Schematic of the monolithic triple-junction device. Image from: Progress in Photovoltaics

The resulting perovskite films exhibited a bandgap of 1.88?eV and demonstrated good photostability without any signs of halide segregation under continuous illumination probed over 3?h. Additionally, thermal evaporation offers a scalable approach for large-scale production, further enhancing the potential for widespread adoption of this technology. 

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In the zero-carbon transportation exhibition zone, BOE introduced its first-ever perovskite CIPV (Car Integrated Photovoltaic) dimmable glass roof, which utilizes flexible perovskite power generation technology to achieve dynamic roof color changes autonomously driven by solar energy. This innovation adapts to the interior brightness in both sunny and rainy conditions, redefining the intelligent interactive experience in fuel vehicles. BOE also showcased multiple comprehensive energy solutions for the transportation sector, integrating photovoltaic, energy storage, and charging technologies, equipped with an integrated photovoltaic-energy storage-charging management system to effectively enhance energy utilization efficiency.

Chinese solar manufacturer Trinasolar has reportedly achieved a 30.6% perovskite-silicon tandem module efficiency. The module efficiency was certified by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) in Germany on a large-area, 1185?cm2 tandem module. 

On top of the module efficiency record, the company also reached a power record of 829W for its large-area, 3.1 square meter perovskite-silicon tandem module. This latest milestone increases Trina’s previous record by 21W; it developed an 808W perovskite-silicon tandem module earlier this year.

Metal halide perovskites are promising materials for light-emitting diodes (LEDs), but electrons and holes in traditional perovskite materials tend to struggle to effectively recombine and emit light. As a result, the strongly space-confined method is commonly used to improve luminescence efficiency. Enhancing the brightness of LEDs and extending their lifespan have also become top research priorities in this field.

Recently, researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fudan University and Nanjing Tech University developed an alternative strategy based on weakly space-confined, large-grain crystals of all-inorganic perovskite to prepare perovskite films with larger crystalline grains and higher temperature resistance. The researchers increased the brightness of perovskite LEDs (PeLEDs) to over 1.16 million nits and extended their lifespan to more than 180,000 hours.

Nankai University researchers recently used an argon plasma polishing pre-treatment (APP) as a way to remove the surface defective layer of the perovskite, thereby enhancing the passivation effectiveness by 2D/3D perovskite heterointerface and improving device stability and performance.

Surface passivation of perovskite layers with and without APP. Image from: Next Materials

The team revealed the presence of a soft defective layer in perovskite films through two types of etching rates and found that APP can effectively remove impurities adsorbed on the surface of thin films, eliminate perovskite soft lattices and enhance the extraction and transport of charge carriers. Furthermore, APP can adjust the surface composition of the perovskite, which is beneficial for subsequent low dimensional perovskite passivation and reduces non radiative recombination of charge carriers. The transformation of passivating ligands into 2D perovskite is more complete, resulting in a higher-quality 2D/3D heterointerface.

It was reported that perovskite manufacturer Microquanta has announced that it has shipped its Perovskite ɑ2 modules to the Huaneng Qinghai Perovskite Demonstration Project. The demo project is located in Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. 

Microquanta’s Zhejiang project. Image credit: Microquanta, taiyangnews

Once complete and grid-connected, the project is expected to generate over 1.14 million kWh of electricity annually. The power produced is equivalent to replacing nearly 413 tons of standard coal each year, while carbon dust emissions by 311 tons, CO₂ emissions by 1,143 tons, and SO₂ emissions by 34 tons.

For perovskite-based indoor photovoltaics (IPVs) to be competitive candidates for low-power consumption electronic devices, fully solution-processed fabrication protocols will have to be established in order to enable roll-to-roll compatible manufacture. 

Researchers from East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Nanjing University and Zhejiang University have reported blade-coated perovskite IPV devices developed by blade-coating high-quality hole and electron transporting layers through solvent and morphology engineering, respectively. A uniform hole-transporting layer of polymeric carbazole phosphonic acid was achieved by tuning the properties co-solvent system, while a compact electron-transporting layer of poly(fullerene-alt-xylene) was realized by adjusting the morphology of the underlying perovskite layer. 

Sulfide solid electrolytes and high nickel layered cathodes play crucial roles in all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs). However, the combination of these materials presents challenges such as interface mismatch and oxygen?sulfur exchange, which limit the advancement and application of ASSBs. 

Shenzhen University researchers have developed a perovskite-type protection layer called La₄NiLiO₈ (LNLO) based on single crystal LiNi_0.9Co_0.05Mn_0.05O₂ (SCNCM90) cathode material by a wet chemistry process. This layer effectively enhances the diffusion rate of lithium ions at the interface between the SCNCM90 cathode and Li₆PS₅Cl (LPSCl) electrolyte, while also facilitating accommodation of volume changes between them. Additionally, it serves as an oxygen anchor not only to inhibit oxygen loss from SCNCM90 but also to prevent the formation of sulfate byproducts at the interface. 

Tokyo Chemical Industry (TCI), a global supplier of laboratory chemicals and specialty materials, has recently started to offer a new material for perovskite solar panel makers, Thiomorpholine hydroiodide (SMORI, 1) a passivation reagent suitable for p-i-n type perovskite solar cells.

TCI explains that n-i-p perovskite solar panels suffer from structural defects on the layer surface, and these can be fixed with a process called passivation. This process not only repairs the defects, but it also improves the solar panels' resistance to external degradation factors such as heat and moisture. With p-i-n type perovskites, normal passivation materials cause electron blocking. TCI's new SMORI material is useful for p-i-n panel passivation, thus enhancing the performance of stability of the panels.

SMORI, 1 (Thiomorpholine hydroiodide) is an ammonium salt that is suitable for p-i-n passivation. TCI explains that after deposition and annealing of the SMORI material onto the perovskite layer, a quasi-2D perovskite layer is formed, which is advantageous to the high durability of the perovskite layer. Compared to an untreated perovskite layer, the layer treated with the SMORI material has a conduction band energy level closer to the LUMO of the electron transport layer, which allows for smooth electron transfer.