Issue 24, 2023

Enhancing charge extraction in inverted perovskite solar cells contacts via ultrathin graphene:fullerene composite interlayers

Abstract

Improving the perovskite/electron-transporting layer (ETL) interface is a crucial task to boost the performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). This is utterly fundamental in an inverted (p–i–n) configuration using fullerene-based ETLs. Here, we propose a scalable strategy to improve fullerene-based ETLs by incorporating high-quality few-layer graphene flakes (GFs), industrially produced through wet-jet milling exfoliation of graphite, into phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). Our new composite ETL (GF:PCBM) can be processed into an ultrathin (∼10 nm), pinhole-free film atop the perovskite. We find that the presence of GFs in the PCBM matrix reduces defect-mediated recombination, while creating preferential paths for the extraction of electrons towards the current collector. The use of our GF-based composite ETL resulted in a significant enhancement in the open circuit voltage and fill factor of triple cation-based inverted PSCs, boosting the power conversion efficiency from ∼19% up to 20.8% upon the incorporation of GFs into the ETL.

Graphical abstract: Enhancing charge extraction in inverted perovskite solar cells contacts via ultrathin graphene:fullerene composite interlayers

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
24 sen 2022
Accepted
29 noy 2022
First published
30 noy 2022
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2023,11, 12866-12875

Enhancing charge extraction in inverted perovskite solar cells contacts via ultrathin graphene:fullerene composite interlayers

A. Zanetta, I. Bulfaro, F. Faini, M. Manzi, G. Pica, M. De Bastiani, S. Bellani, M. I. Zappia, G. Bianca, L. Gabatel, J. Panda, A. E. Del Rio Castillo, M. Prato, S. Lauciello, F. Bonaccorso and G. Grancini, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2023, 11, 12866 DOI: 10.1039/D2TA07512A

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