Optical Optimization of the TiO₂ Mesoporous Layer in Perovskite Solar Cells by the Addition of SiO₂ Nanoparticles

Abstract

In this work, SiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) were integrated into the mesoporous TiO2 layer of a perovskite solar cell to investigate their effect on cell performance. Different concentrations of SiO2/ethanol have been combined in TiO2/ethanol to prepare pastes for the fabrication of the mesoporous layer with which perovskite solar cells have been fabricated. Addition of SiO2 NPs of 50 and 100 nm sizes produces an enhancement of cell performance mainly because of an improvement of the photocurrent. This increment is in good agreement with the theoretical predictions based on light scattering induced by dielectric SiO2 NPs. The samples using modified scaffolds with NPs also present a significant lower current–potential hysteresis indicating that NP incorporation also affects the ion accumulation at the perovskite interface, providing an additional beneficial effect. The results stress the importance of the appropriated management of the optical properties on further optimization of perovskite solar cell technology.

Functional Oxides for Photoneuromorphic Engineering: Toward a Solar Brain

“…otherwise they would block the current through the structure. The most studied nanoparticle insulating scaffolds in HPSC solar cells are based in Al 2 O 3 [407] , [529] , [530] , [531] , [532] , [533] , [448] , [534] , [449] , [450] , [535] , [536] , ZrO 2 [537] , [538] , [539] , [540] , [408] , [541] and SiO 2 [542] , [543] , [544] .…”

Recent advances in fiber-shaped and planar-shaped textile solar cells

“…Hence, many research efforts have been invested on improving the performance, efficiency and stability of different types of emerging photovoltaics (PVs) such as dye sensitized, [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] organic, [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] and perovskite PVs. [23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42] While conventional silicon solar cells are heavy, fragile, and rigid, flexible solar cells represent a good alternative to the silicon counterparts, because of not only their flexibility, but also their lightweight, which enable their integration in portable electronic applications. Recently, scientists have carried out significant research and development efforts in order to improve the performance and the stability of flexible solar cells.…”

Preparation of Low Grain Boundary Perovskite Crystals with Excellent Performance: The Inhibition of Ammonium Iodide

“…Organic–inorganic hybrid perovskites have been considered as potential materials in various fields due to their special chemical structures and distinctive properties. − Since the first methylammonium lead halide perovskite (CH 3 NH 3 PbX 3 , X = Br or I) in an electrolyte-based dye-sensitized solar cell was reported, scientists have researched the perovskite-based photovoltaic devices widely. Up to now, based on perovskite materials, solar cells have achieved outstanding improvements with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) reaching 25.6%. ,− The increasing device PCE heralds a new rapid development era of solar cells.…”

“…Notably, the electron transport layer is the TiO 2 array rather than mesoporous TiO 2 . The main reasons for choosing the TiO 2 nanoarray as the ETM are as follows: (i) TiO 2 nanoarrays have good single-crystal properties and one-dimensional phase extractions, which can provide more contact sites and effective charging transport channels for fast electron transports due to the high uniform structures; (ii) there are almost no deep insights into the healing process upon the perovskite/two-dimensional nanoarray interface; (iii) the mesoporous TiO 2 (m-TiO 2 ) film is normally used for the ETM in perovskite solar cells to increase the contact area, but the crystallinity and the surface area of such TiO 2 thin films are not satisfactory . Additionally, by using the simple spin-coating methods, perovskite crystals formed on mesoporous TiO 2 films obtain two-dimensional (2D) flat films, which reduce the contact interface between perovskite and TiO 2 films as well.…”