Issue 29, 2024

Surface-anchoring fluorinated sulfonate enables efficient and stable perovskite photovoltaics

Abstract

Defects in solution-processed perovskite films can trap photoinduced carriers, facilitate ion migration, and accelerate degradation of perovskites, thus posing a major threat to the performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). To address these issues, we rationally proposed a multifunctional sulfonium salt molecule, namely diphenyl-(trifluoromethyl)-sulfonium trifluoromethanesulfonate (TFS-TFMS), which was designed to chelate the detrimental defects of perovskite films using a cost-effective post-treatment method. Theoretical and experimental evidence indicated that defects on the surface and grain boundaries of perovskite films, including uncoordinated Pb2+, volatile organic cations and mobile ionic vacancies, were synergistically anchored by S[double bond, length as m-dash]O, –CF3 and TFS+ groups in the TFS-TFMS molecule via Lewis acid–base coordination, hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions, respectively. The carrier dynamic behavior and energy level alignment at the interface between perovskites and hole-transportation-layers were also significantly improved. Consequently, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of PSCs was boosted from 21.99% to 23.56% upon the introduction of TFS-TFMS, along with a diminished hysteresis index. In addition, the TFS-TFMS modified devices without encapsulation can retain 86% and 80% of their initial PCEs under aging conditions of 40–60% relative humidity (1752 h) or heating at 85 °C (504 h), respectively. It is expected that this synergistical design strategy of fluorine-rich sulfonium salt molecules can inspire more potential multifunctional modulators for efficient and stable PSCs towards commercialization in the future.

Graphical abstract: Surface-anchoring fluorinated sulfonate enables efficient and stable perovskite photovoltaics

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
10 Apr 2024
Accepted
13 May 2024
First published
29 May 2024

J. Mater. Chem. C, 2024,12, 10960-10970

Surface-anchoring fluorinated sulfonate enables efficient and stable perovskite photovoltaics

B. Yang, X. Li, B. Cai, X. Zheng, K. Xiong and W. Zhang, J. Mater. Chem. C, 2024, 12, 10960 DOI: 10.1039/D4TC01479K

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