Targeted Molecular Design of Functionalized Fullerenes for High‐Performance and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells

Abstract

Perovskite solar cell (PSC) is a potential next-generation photovoltaic technology alternative to the conventional competitors including polycrystalline silicon, cadmium telluride, and copper indium gallium diselenide solar cells. Particularly, functionalized fullerenes play crucial roles as charge transport layers, interfacial layers, and additives in perovskite photovoltaics, dramatically contributing to the promotion of power conversion efficiency (PCE) and stability. As the field advances rapidly, the importance to rationally design fullerenes against a particular category of those functions has been increasingly recognized. Herein, recent progress in the application of functionalized fullerenes toward highperformance and stable perovskite solar cells is reviewed, placing special emphasis on the importance of the targeted molecular design of fullerene structures for different application scenarios to meet diverse functional requirements in specific device structures.

Surface Re-Engineering of Perovskites with Buckybowls to Boost the Inverted-Type Photovoltaics

“…The superior power conversion efficiency (PCE) of state-of-the-art regular structure ( n-i-p ) perovskite solar cells (PSCs) exceeding 25% provides significant inspiration for the commercial development of perovskite photovoltaics. − On the other hand, PSCs with the inverted structure ( p-i-n ) have attracted increased attention due to their better device stability, negligible hysteresis, and advantages for tandem devices. − However, the inverted structure PSCs suffer from the notorious problem of having lower PCEs than their regular counterparts, which is mainly caused by the lower open-circuit voltage ( V oc ). One of the major reasons is thought to be the weak coordination interactions between perovskites and fullerene cages, giving rise to imperfect interfacial contacts between perovskite layers and fullerene electron transport layers (ETLs) and thus resulting in recombination-induced V oc losses. − …”

Exploring the Gas‐Phase Formation and Chemical Reactivity of Highly Reduced M8L6 Coordination Cages

“…[7] Confinement effects arising through their incorporation into cages has enabled the selective functionalization of fullerenes, [8] a process with significant implications in the field of perovskite solar cells. [9] This area of research continues to receive considerable attention and while significant advancements have been made, the procurement and analysis of highly reduced supramolecular species in liquid solution remains a challenge. This is due to the difficulty in obtaining pure samples of supramolecular species which instead often exist in equilibrium within a dynamic library of reaction products, as well as the occurrence of irreversible structure degradation during electrochemical manipulations.…”

[60]Fullerene-Fused Cyclopentanes: Mechanosynthesis and Photovoltaic Application

“…Over the past 3 decades, functionalization of [60]­fullerene (C 60 ) has attracted extensive attention as a result of remarkable applications in materials science, biological sciences, and nanotechnology. , Various types of reactions have been developed to synthesize fullerene derivatives . Fullerene-fused carbocycles have been widely studied to explore their specific potential applications, especially their enormous potential in organic photovoltaics and perovskite solar cells .…”

“…Over the past 3 decades, functionalization of [60]­fullerene (C 60 ) has attracted extensive attention as a result of remarkable applications in materials science, biological sciences, and nanotechnology. , Various types of reactions have been developed to synthesize fullerene derivatives . Fullerene-fused carbocycles have been widely studied to explore their specific potential applications, especially their enormous potential in organic photovoltaics and perovskite solar cells . However, the methods available for the construction of fullerene-fused carbocycles are quite limited in comparison to those for fullerene-fused heterocycles. , Furthermore, most methodologies for the syntheses of functionalized fullerene-fused carbocycles rely on metal-mediated or metal-catalyzed reactions .…”