Chinese Researchers Achieve World Record 30.3% Efficiency for All-Perovskite Tandem Solar Cells

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Overview

Researchers at the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (NIMTE) in China have achieved a certified world-record efficiency of 30.3% for rigid all-perovskite tandem solar cells. Furthermore, their flexible counterparts reached an impressive 28.0% PCE, signifying a major leap toward practical, lightweight, and versatile next-generation solar cells. Published in Nature Nanotechnology, this breakthrough leverages the hard-soft acid-base theory to homogenize crystal formation, addressing manufacturing challenges and accelerating sustainable energy deployment.

In Depth

World Record Efficiency for All-Perovskite Tandem Solar Cells

Perovskite solar cells are a leading research focus in the energy sector due to their excellent power conversion efficiency and potential for low-cost manufacturing. Specifically, “all-perovskite tandem solar cells,” which stack two perovskite layers, are expected to achieve even higher efficiencies by capturing a wider range of the solar spectrum than single perovskite cells. A team of scientists from the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (NIMTE), Chinese Academy of Sciences, has announced a groundbreaking achievement in this field.

Innovative Technology and Achieved Efficiencies

NIMTE researchers developed a new approach to precisely control the crystallization process of perovskite layers. They applied the “Hard-Soft Acid-Base (HSAB) theory” to select additives for perovskite crystal growth, enabling the formation of more uniform and high-quality films. This technological innovation resulted in the following record-breaking efficiencies:

• World Record for Rigid Cells: In rigid all-perovskite tandem solar cells, a world-record power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 30.3% was achieved and independently certified. This performance is comparable to or even surpasses that of silicon-based tandem cells.
• High Efficiency for Flexible Cells: Applying similar technology, flexible all-perovskite tandem cells recorded a high PCE of 28.0%. This significantly expands the possibilities for lightweight, bendable solar cells.

This HSAB theory-based approach provides new guidelines for material selection and process parameter optimization, contributing to overcoming large-scale manufacturing challenges by improving the uniformity and stability of perovskite films.

Impact and Future Outlook

This research, published in Nature Nanotechnology, represents a significant step towards the commercialization of perovskite solar cells. An efficiency exceeding 30% suggests that perovskite technology is competitive not only in terms of cost but also performance compared to conventional solar cell technologies. The achievement of high efficiency in flexible devices will accelerate their deployment in diverse applications such as Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV), wearable devices, and mobile power sources. The research team aims for this technology to promote the adoption of clean energy and provide more affordable and practical solar power solutions, contributing to the realization of a sustainable society.