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Mohanraj J, Samanta B, Almora O, Escalante R, Marsal LF, Jenatsch S, Gadola A, Ruhstaller B, Anta JA, Caspary Toroker M, Olthof S. NiO x Passivation in Perovskite Solar Cells: From Surface Reactivity to Device Performance. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024. [PMID: 39086318 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c06709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
Nonstoichiometric nickel oxide (NiOx) is one of the very few metal oxides successfully used as hole extraction layer in p-i-n type perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Its favorable optoelectronic properties and facile large-scale preparation methods are potentially relevant for future commercialization of PSCs, though currently low operational stability of PSCs is reported when a NiOx hole extraction layer is used in direct contact with the perovskite absorber. Poorly understood degradation reactions at this interface are seen as cause for the inferior stability, and a variety of interface passivation approaches have been shown to be effective in improving the overall solar cell performance. To gain a better understanding of the processes happening at this interface, we systematically passivated specific defects on NiOx with three different categories of organic/inorganic compounds. The effects on NiOx and the perovskite (MAPbI3) deposited on top were investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Here, we find that the perovskite's structural stability and film formation can be significantly affected by the passivation treatment of the NiOx surface. In combination with density functional theory (DFT) calculations, a likely origin of NiOx-perovskite degradation interactions is proposed. The surface passivated NiOx layers were incorporated into MAPbI3-based PSCs, and the influence on device performance and operational stability was investigated by current-voltage (J-V) characterization, impedance spectroscopy (IS), and open circuit voltage decay (OCVD) measurements. Interestingly, we find that a superior structural stability due to interface passivation must not relate to high operational stability. The discrepancy comes from the formation of excess ions at the interface, which negatively impacts all solar cell parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Mohanraj
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cologne, Greinstrasse 4-6, Cologne 50939, Germany
| | - Bipasa Samanta
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Technion─Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3600003, Israel
| | - Osbel Almora
- Departament d'Enginyeria Electrònica Elèctrica i Automàtica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
- Center for Nanoscience and Sustainable Technologies (CNATS), Department of Physical, Chemical, and Natural Systems, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla 41013, Spain
| | - Renán Escalante
- Center for Nanoscience and Sustainable Technologies (CNATS), Department of Physical, Chemical, and Natural Systems, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla 41013, Spain
| | - Lluis F Marsal
- Departament d'Enginyeria Electrònica Elèctrica i Automàtica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Sandra Jenatsch
- Fluxim AG, Katharina-Sulzer-Platz 2, 8400 Winterthur, Switzerland
| | - Arno Gadola
- Fluxim AG, Katharina-Sulzer-Platz 2, 8400 Winterthur, Switzerland
| | - Beat Ruhstaller
- Fluxim AG, Katharina-Sulzer-Platz 2, 8400 Winterthur, Switzerland
| | - Juan A Anta
- Center for Nanoscience and Sustainable Technologies (CNATS), Department of Physical, Chemical, and Natural Systems, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla 41013, Spain
| | - Maytal Caspary Toroker
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Technion─Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3600003, Israel
- The Nancy and Stephen Grand Technion Energy Program, Technion─Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Selina Olthof
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cologne, Greinstrasse 4-6, Cologne 50939, Germany
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Apergi S, Brocks G, Tao S, Olthof S. Probing the Reactivity of ZnO with Perovskite Precursors. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:14984-14994. [PMID: 38483310 PMCID: PMC10983006 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c01945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
To achieve more stable and efficient metal halide perovskite devices, optimization of charge transport materials and their interfaces with perovskites is crucial. ZnO on paper would make an ideal electron transport layer in perovskite devices. This metal oxide has a large bandgap, making it transparent to visible light; it can be easily n-type doped, has a decent electron mobility, and is thought to be chemically relatively inert. However, in combination with perovskites, ZnO has turned out to be a source of instability, rapidly degrading the performance of devices. In this work, we provide a comprehensive experimental and computational study of the interaction between the most common organic perovskite precursors and the surface of ZnO, with the aim of understanding the observed instability. Using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, we find a complete degradation of the precursors in contact with ZnO and the formation of volatile species as well as new surface bonds. Our computational work reveals that different pristine and defected surface terminations of ZnO facilitate the decomposition of the perovskite precursor molecules, mainly through deprotonation, making the deposition of the latter on those surfaces impossible without the use of passivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Apergi
- Materials
Simulation and Modelling, Department of Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- Center
for Computational Energy Research, Department of Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Geert Brocks
- Materials
Simulation and Modelling, Department of Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- Computational
Chemical Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology and MESA+ Institute
for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
- Center
for Computational Energy Research, Department of Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Shuxia Tao
- Materials
Simulation and Modelling, Department of Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- Center
for Computational Energy Research, Department of Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Selina Olthof
- University
of Cologne, Institute for Physical Chemistry, Greinstrasse 4-6, 50939 Cologne, Germany
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Guaiacol to Aromatics: Efficient Transformation over In Situ-Generated Molybdenum and Tungsten Oxides. Catalysts 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/catal13020263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of catalysts for the hydrodeoxygenation of bio-based feedstocks is an important step towards the production of fuels and chemicals from biomass. This paper describes in situ-generated bulk molybdenum and tungsten oxides in the hydrodeoxygenation of the lignin-derived compound guaiacol. The catalysts obtained were studied using powder X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transition electron microscopy, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The use of metal carbonyls as precursors was shown to promote the formation of amorphous molybdenum oxide and crystalline tungsten phosphide under hydrodeoxygenation conditions. The catalysts’ activity was investigated under various reaction conditions (temperature, H2 pressure, solvent). MoOx was more active in the partial and full hydrodeoxygenation of guaiacol at temperatures of 200–380 °C (5 MPa H2, 6 h). However, cyclohexane, which is an undesirable product, was formed in significant amounts using MoOx (5 MPa H2, 6 h), while WOx was more selective to aromatics. When using dodecane as a solvent (380 °C, 5 MPa H2, 6 h), the benzene-toluene-xylenes fraction was obtained with a 96% yield over the WOx catalyst.
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Sun J, Zhang N, Wu J, Yang W, He H, Huang M, Zeng Y, Yang X, Ying Z, Qin G, Shou C, Sheng J, Ye J. Additive Engineering of the CuSCN Hole Transport Layer for High-Performance Perovskite Semitransparent Solar Cells. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:52223-52232. [PMID: 36377745 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c18120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
CuSCN has been widely considered a promising candidate for low-cost and high-stable hole transport material in perovskite semitransparent solar cells (STSCs). However, the low conductivity of the solution-processed CuSCN hole transport layer (HTL) hinders the hole extraction and transport in devices, which makes it hard to achieve devices with high performance. Herein, we report a facile additive engineering approach to optimize the p conductivity of CuSCN HTLs in perovskite STSCs. The n-butylammonium iodide additive facilitates the formation of Cu2+ and generates more Cu vacancies in the CuSCN HTL. This realizes a significant enhancement of the hole concentration and p conductivity of the film. Moreover, the additive improves the solubility of the CuSCN precursor solution and results in a uniform coverage on the perovskite active layer. Therefore, the perovskite STSC with a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 19.24% has been achieved, which is higher than that of the spiro-OMeTAD (18.83%) and CuSCN (17.45%) counterparts. In addition, the unencapsulated CuSCN-based device retains 87.5% of the initial PCE after 20 days in the ambient atmosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingsong Sun
- Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Research Center of Energy Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology & Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, Zhejiang315201, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Solar Energy Utilization & Energy Saving Technology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Energy Group R&D, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310003, People's Republic of China
| | - Ningjun Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Research Center of Energy Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology & Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, Zhejiang315201, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiarui Wu
- Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Research Center of Energy Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology & Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, Zhejiang315201, People's Republic of China
| | - Weichuang Yang
- Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Research Center of Energy Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology & Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, Zhejiang315201, People's Republic of China
| | - Haiyan He
- Key Laboratory of Solar Energy Utilization & Energy Saving Technology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Energy Group R&D, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310003, People's Republic of China
| | - Mianji Huang
- Key Laboratory of Solar Energy Utilization & Energy Saving Technology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Energy Group R&D, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310003, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuheng Zeng
- Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Research Center of Energy Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology & Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, Zhejiang315201, People's Republic of China
| | - Xi Yang
- Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Research Center of Energy Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology & Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, Zhejiang315201, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhiqin Ying
- Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Research Center of Energy Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology & Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, Zhejiang315201, People's Republic of China
| | - Ganghua Qin
- Key Laboratory of Solar Energy Utilization & Energy Saving Technology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Energy Group R&D, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310003, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunhui Shou
- Key Laboratory of Solar Energy Utilization & Energy Saving Technology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Energy Group R&D, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310003, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiang Sheng
- Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Research Center of Energy Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology & Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, Zhejiang315201, People's Republic of China
| | - Jichun Ye
- Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Research Center of Energy Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology & Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, Zhejiang315201, People's Republic of China
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