Solar panels come not only as heavy slabs on roofs but also as flexible batteries for windows, facades, clothing, sensors, and portable electronics. Russian scientists have made a significant step towards their mass production. Researchers have managed to increase the lifespan of perovskite solar cells – a promising alternative to silicon panels, which has long been hindered by one main problem: rapid degradation.
A team from Perm National Research Polytechnic University (PNIPU), the Federal Research Center of Chemical Physics and Medical Chemistry (FIC PHF and MH) of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), and Skoltech has developed four new polymer materials. These materials help perovskite solar panels maintain stability longer and degrade less under the influence of moisture, temperature, and oxygen.
During tests, batteries with the new polymers retained up to 99% efficiency after 1800 hours of continuous operation. In comparison, standard solutions lose more than half of their power under such conditions. At the same time, the elements themselves remained competitive in efficiency, reaching 17.8%.
Perovskite panels are considered one of the most promising alternatives to silicon. They are lightweight, flexible, and can even operate under artificial lighting. Therefore, such batteries can potentially be used not only in classic solar energy but also in building facades, windows, "smart" clothing, medical sensors, and portable electronics.
The main difficulty until now has been the instability of perovskite. This material is sensitive to moisture, temperature, and oxygen, which causes solar cells to lose their operational properties more quickly. The new polymers solve this problem as a protective and transport layer. They help perovskite maintain its structure and even partially "self-heal."