Perovskite solar cells are regarded as an important direction for future photovoltaic technology due to their high efficiency, low cost, and lightweight characteristics. However, there is a key problem with this type of battery - poor stability and difficulty in long-term use. On March 7, a study by East China University of Science and Technology successfully solved this problem, and the relevant results have been published in the top international journal "Science".
It is reported that the scientific research team has successfully found a key method to extend the life of perovskite solar cells. This solution to the "short-life" problem has brought mankind a big step closer to using cheaper, thinner solar panels.
Perovskite solar cells are called the "light of the future". They can not only generate electricity like traditional silicon cells, but can also be made into paper-thin and bendable forms, and can even be attached to clothes or windows. But over the years, this kind of battery has had a fatal weakness: it will "age" after a short time in the sun, and its service life is far short of the actual application requirements.
The research team solved this "short-lived" mystery. Research has found that perovskite materials will expand and contract repeatedly like a balloon when exposed to sunlight, and will rupture due to "internal injuries" over time. This material will expand by more than 1% when exposed to light, and the internal crystals will squeeze each other to produce destructive force, just like repeatedly folded paper will eventually break.
Researchers have come up with a clever trick - to wear "bulletproof vests" on materials. They used graphene, one of the hardest materials in the world, and a special transparent plastic to create an ultra-thin protective layer that is only one ten thousandth of a human hair. Experiments prove that
After rigorous testing, solar cells equipped with this protective layer set a new record: under strong light and high temperature conditions simulating daily use,
This breakthrough not only provides a solution, but also subverts the understanding of the scientific community. In the past ten years, scientists around the world have mainly started by improving material formulas, and the East China University of Science and Technology team discovered the hidden killer of "physical damage" for the first time, opening up a new direction for subsequent research. Relevant experts said that this work redefined the technical path to improve stability.
The research team revealed that the technology has begun trials in cooperation with enterprises. Once mass-produced, it will bring revolutionary changes: power-generating glass on building exterior walls, foldable outdoor charging blankets and even solar films for charging mobile phones may become a reality. It is estimated that the production cost of perovskite cells is only 1/3 of that of silicon cells, and there is still room for improvement in power generation efficiency.
With the breakthrough of the stability bottleneck, this "future technology in the laboratory" is accelerating into thousands of households, providing a "Chinese solution" for the global green energy transformation.