A Nd@C82-polymer interface for efficient and stable perovskite solar cells.

A research team from the School of Physics at Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU) has made a major breakthrough in the field of perovskite solar cells. Their study, titled "A Nd@C₈₂-polymer interface for efficient and stable perovskite solar cells", was published in Nature on April 8.

A team led by Researcher Liang Chao from the School of Physics, working under Professors Yang Shengchun and Yang Zhimao, used molecular interface engineering to pioneer a novel coupled structure combining endohedral metallofullerene Nd@C₈₂ with polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), enabling in-situ encapsulation of the perovskite layer. This innovation significantly enhances both the efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells.

The fabricated inverted perovskite solar cells demonstrated power conversion efficiencies (PCE) of 26.78 percent for a 0.08 cm² cell (with a certified value of 26.29 percent) and 23.08 percent for a 16 cm² module. Under damp heat conditions (ISOS-D-3 standard), the devices retained over 99 percent of their efficiency after 1,000 hours of continuous operation.

At the core of this breakthrough is the use of Nd@C₈₂ as an electromagnetic coupling medium at the molecular interface. This molecule enhances electron extraction via interface polarization and, when coupled with PMMA, also provides superior structural protection and ultrafast electron-selective transport. This dual functionality enables homogeneous and rapid electron extraction while suppressing ionic interdiffusion, resulting in improved PCE, device performance and longevity under harsh conditions such as high temperature and humidity

The findings open up new avenues for designing high-performance perovskite solar cells with greater potential for outdoor and real-world applications.

Lin Yuexin, Shui Yuan, and Zhu Wenjing, PhD students at the School of Physics, Lyu Shili, a master's student in the School of Chemistry, and Lin Zhichao, who has a PhD from Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, are co-lead authors of the paper. The School of Physics is the primary institution affiliated with the paper.

The study received strong support from the Analysis and Testing Center of XJTU, particularly in material structure testing and analysis, with special thanks to Guo Hang, Liang Yan, Zhou Guoqing, and Zhang Yang for their contributions in characterization and analysis.

This paper is dedicated to XJTU's 129th anniversary.