Efficient and stable perovskite solar cells through electrochemically polymerized porphyrin-based hole-transporting materials

Abstract

The hole-transporting layer (HTL), a pivotal component of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), can significantly improve device performance. The unique light-harvesting and charge-transport capabilities of porphyrin derivatives have facilitated their adoption in solar cell applications, showcasing their potential as hole-transporting materials for PSCs. This study introduces an electrochemical polymerization method to deposit thin films of three distinct porphyrins as HTLs in PSCs. These polymerized films demonstrate exceptional thermal stability, with nickel-centered porphyrin films highly enhancing the power conversion efficiency, attributed to optimal energetic alignment and effective contact properties. Crucially, devices utilizing this approach exhibit outstanding long-term stability, maintaining 88% of their initial efficiency after 2200-hour storage under ambient conditions. This performance highlights the considerable promise of porphyrin-based materials in photovoltaic applications, suggesting that electrochemical polymerization could lead the way in developing efficient and durable PSCs. The innovative use of electrochemical polymerization represents a noteworthy contribution to the field, opening new avenues for the development of efficient and stable PSCs.