Nonplanar Spray-Coated Perovskite Solar Cells

Abstract

Spray coating is an industrially mature technique used to deposit thin films that combines high throughput with the ability to coat nonplanar surfaces. Here, we explore the use of ultrasonic spray coating to fabricate perovskite solar cells (PSCs) over rigid, nonplanar surfaces without problems caused by solution dewetting and subsequent "run-off". Encouragingly, we find that PSCs can be spray-coated using our processes onto glass substrates held at angles of inclination up to 45°away from the horizontal, with such devices having comparable power conversion efficiencies (up to 18.3%) to those spray-cast onto horizontal substrates. Having established that our process can be used to create PSCs on surfaces that are not horizontal, we fabricate devices over a convex glass substrate, with devices having a maximum power conversion efficiency of 12.5%. To our best knowledge, this study represents the first demonstration of a rigid, curved perovskite solar cell. The integration of perovskite photovoltaics onto curved surfaces will likely find direct applications in the aerospace and automotive sectors.

Direct Integration of Perovskite Solar Cells with Carbon Fiber Substrates

“…Although we have used spin-coating to deposit the solution-processable device layers (np-SnO 2 electrontransport layer, TC perovskite precursor, and spiro-OMeTAD hole-transport layer), we note that such layers can be deposited via spray-coating, allowing devices to be created over complex, curved substrates. [29] Our devices are fabricated directly onto a surface that could have a significant second function-e.g., acting as the wing of an aircraft or the roof of a car. To estimate the specific power of our devices, we simply consider the masses of the layers that we have deposited.…”

“…Critically, the ability to process PSCs from solution using techniques such as spray coating allows them to be deposited over curved surfaces. [ 29 ] PSC devices on CFRP composites could be readily employed in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and high‐altitude pseudo‐satellites (HAPSs), where there are stringent weight limitations and finite fixed wingspans. [ 30 ] Indeed, it has been demonstrated that by integrating solar cells over curved surfaces, devices can be realized having a power output exceeding that of planar cells occupying an equivalent area.…”

Materials genome engineering accelerates the research and development of organic and perovskite photovoltaics

“…Solution processing methods for organic and perovskite thin films, such as scraping, [33,34] spraying, [35–37] spin‐coating, [38] roll‐to‐roll printing [39,40] and inkjet printing, [41] have the advantages of simple process, low cost and the ability to achieve large‐area processing. The processing methods are suitable for automated HT film preparation.…”

Air-Knife-Assisted Spray Coating of Organic Solar Cells

“…Organic semiconductor devices can also be deposited via droplet-based techniques such as spray coating. Spray coating offers several key advantages over competing deposition processesthe most significant of which being that its noncontact nature permits materials and devices to be fabricated over nonplanar surfaces . Furthermore, spray coating has been estimated to have a far lower initial investment cost than techniques such as blade coating .…”