Fused-ring isomerization dopant-free hole transport materials for high-performance inorganic perovskite solar cells.

We synthesized two linear dopant-free hole transport materials (HTMs), denoted as NT and iNT, by coupling methoxytriphenylamine donor unit with either naphtho[1,2-:5,6-']bis[1,2,5]thiadiazole or its isomeric counterparts naphtho[1,2-:5,6-']bis([1,2,3]thiadiazole) as acceptor units. The fused-ring isomerization structure of iNT endows it with a substantial dipole moment and well-aligned energy levels, which are highly favorable for efficient free-charge extraction. Compared to devices based on NT, CsPbI inorganic perovskite solar cells (IPSCs) employing iNT exhibited significantly enhanced performance, achieving a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 18.

Improving Catalytic Enantioselectivity of Hydrogenation through Swelling-Induced Molecular Tension in Polymer Networks.

Herein, we report that molecular tension generated by the swelling of a polyacrylate network containing a chiral [Biphep]Rh(I) catalyst as a tension-bearing, bis-tethered cross-linker enhances the enantioselectivity of hydrogenation of methyl 2-acetamidoacrylate. Differential swelling of the network is achieved by changing the relative concentrations of toluene (low swelling) and dichloromethane (high swelling) cosolvents. Swelling is characterized by the ratio of final to initial length in a single dimension of the network (λ = /), noting that changes are the same in all dimensions; λ = λ = λ.

Tuning the Crystallization and Photothermal Aging Chemistry of CsPbSnI for Inorganic Perovskite Tandem Photovoltaics.

The poor performance of inorganic narrow bandgap perovskite solar cells (PSCs) hinders the development of inorganic perovskite tandem solar cells (IPTSCs). We modulate the crystallization and photothermal aging chemistry for CsPbSnI (1.31 eV) with guanidinoacetic acid (GCA) to develop IPTSC.

Blade-Coating with Engineered Evaporation Kinetics Enables Scalable Perovskite Photovoltaics with Minimal Efficiency Loss.

The blade-coating method has become an important technology that can be expanded to manufacture perovskite solar photovoltaics. However, the inherent conflict between rapid solvent removal and crystallization control in ambient blade-coating process fundamentally constrains the production throughput and film quality of perovskite solar modules. Here, a ternary solvent system (DMF/NMP/2-methoxyethanol) with hierarchical volatility gradients is developed, synergistically integrated with vacuum-flash evaporation to decouple nucleation and crystal growth kinetics.

Symmetry-Breaking Strategy Yields Dopant-Free Small Molecule Hole Transport Materials for Inorganic Perovskite Solar Cells with 20.58% Efficiency and Outstanding Stability.

Inorganic perovskites are known for their excellent photothermal stability; however, the photothermal stability of all-inorganic n-i-p perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is compromised due to ion diffusion and free radical-induced degradation caused by the use of doped spiro-OMeTAD hole transport materials (HTMs). In this study, two isomeric donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) type small molecules, namely HBT and HiBT, were developed and used as dopant-free HTMs, using 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole or benzo[d][1,2,3]thiadiazole as acceptor moieties. The HiBT molecule, with its symmetry-breaking features, exhibits a large dipole moment, enhanced coordination-active sites, and a well-aligned energy level structure, all of which contribute to passivating perovskite surface defects and improving free charge separation.

Durable all-inorganic perovskite tandem photovoltaics.

All-inorganic perovskites prepared by substituting the organic cations (for example, methylammonium and formamidinium) with inorganic cations (for example, Cs) are effective concepts to enhance the long-term photostability and thermal stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Hence, inorganic perovskite tandem solar cells (IPTSCs) are promising candidates for breaking the efficiency bottleneck and addressing the stability issue, too. However, challenges remain in fabricating two-terminal (2T) IPTSCs due to the inferior film formation and deep trap states induced by tin cations.

Molecular Design of Hole Transport Materials to Immobilize Ion Motion for Photostable Perovskite Solar Cells.

Poor operational stability is a crucial factor limiting the further application of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Organic semiconductor layers can be a powerful means for reinforcing interfaces and inhibiting ion migration. Herein, two hole-transporting molecules, pDPA-SFX and mDPA-SFX, are synthesized with tuned substituent connection sites.

CuCl/FeCl Bimetallic Photocatalyst for Sustainable Ethylene Production from Ethanol via Recoverable Redox Cycles.

Photocatalytic conversions of ethanol to valuable chemicals are significant organic synthesis reactions. Herein, we developed a CuCl/FeCl bimetallic photocatalyst for sustainable dehydration of ethanol to ethylene by recoverable redox cycles. The selectivity of ethylene was 98.

Multifunctionally Reusing Waste Solder to Prepare Highly Efficient Sn-Pb Perovskite Solar Cells.

The preparation of perovskite components (PbI and SnI) using waste materials is of great significance for the commercialization of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, this goal is difficult to achieve due to the purity of the recovered products and the easy oxidation of Sn. Here, a simple one-step synthetic process to convert waste Sn-Pb solder into SnI/PbI and then applied as-prepared SnI/PbI to PSCs for high additional value is adopted.

Socioeconomic vulnerability and differential impact of severe weather-induced power outages.

In response to concerns about increasingly intense Atlantic hurricanes, new federal climate and environmental justice policies aim to mitigate the unequal impact of environmental disasters on economically and socially vulnerable communities. Recent research emphasizes that standard procedures for restoring power following extreme weather could be one significant contributor to these divergent outcomes. Our paper evaluates the hypothesis that more economically and socially vulnerable communities experience longer-duration power outages following hurricanes than less vulnerable communities do, conditional on the severity of the impact of the storm itself.

Self-Generated Buried Submicrocavities for High-Performance Near-Infrared Perovskite Light-Emitting Diode.

Embedding submicrocavities is an effective approach to improve the light out-coupling efficiency (LOCE) for planar perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs). In this work, we employ phenethylammonium iodide (PEAI) to trigger the Ostwald ripening for the downward recrystallization of perovskite, resulting in spontaneous formation of buried submicrocavities as light output coupler. The simulation suggests the buried submicrocavities can improve the LOCE from 26.

A Bifunctional Carbazide Additive For Durable CsSnI Perovskite Solar Cells.

Inorganic CsSnI with low toxicity and a narrow bandgap is a promising photovoltaic material. However, the performance of CsSnI perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is much lower than that of Pb-based and hybrid Sn-based (e.g.

Photodehydration of Ethanol Mediated by CuCl-Ethanol Complex.

Biomass ethanol is regarded as a renewable resource but it is not economically viable to transform it to high-value industrial chemicals at present. Herein, a simple, green, and low-cost CuCl-ethanol complex is reported for ethanol dehydration to produce ethylene and acetal simultaneously with high selectivity under sunlight irradiation. Under N atmosphere, the generation rates of ethylene and acetal were 165 and 3672 μmol g h, accounting for 100% in gas products and 97% in liquid products, respectively.

High Efficiency Near-Infrared Perovskite Light Emitting Diodes With Reduced Rolling-Off by Surface Post-Treatment.

The rolling-off phenomenon of device efficiency at high current density caused by quenching of luminescence in perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLED) is challenging to be solved. Here, 2-amino-5-iodopyrazine (AIPZ) is dissolved in a mixed solvent of chlorobenzene (CB)/isopropanol (IPA) (7:3 volume ratio) for surface post-treatment of FAPbI perovskite film. The interaction of AIPZ and perovskite surface not only balances the charge injection but also passivates defects to enhance radiative recombination in PeLED.

Simultaneous Tuning of Alkyl Chains and End Groups in Non-fused Ring Electron Acceptors for Efficient and Stable Organic Solar Cells.

Fine-tuning the alkyl chains and end groups of non-fused ring electron acceptors (NFREAs) plays vital roles in the promotion of charge transfer (CT) and power conversion efficiency (PCE). In this work, we developed a series of A-D-A'-D-A-type NFREAs, which possess the same terminals (A), the cyclopentadithiophene unit (D), and the thieno[3,4-]pyrrole-4,6-dione (A'). Despite the subtle difference in side chains and halogenated end groups, the six acceptors exhibit a considerable difference in the efficiency and device stability of the organic solar cells (OSCs).

Reciprocally Photovoltaic Light-Emitting Diode Based on Dispersive Perovskite Nanocrystal.

Integrating highly efficient photovoltaic (PV) function into light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for multifunctional display is of great significance for compact low-power electronics, but it remains challenging. Herein, it is demonstrated that solution engineered perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs, ≈100 nm) enable efficient electroluminescence (EL) and PV performance within a single device through tailoring the dispersity and interface. It delivers the maximum brightness of 490 W sr  m at 2.

Perovskite Bifunctional Diode with High Photovoltaic and Electroluminescent Performance by Holistic Defect Passivation.

Integration of photovoltaic (PV) and electroluminescent (EL) functions and/or units in one device is attractive for new generation optoelectronic devices but it is challenging to achieve highly comprehensive efficiency. Herein, perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are fabricated, assisted by 3-sulfopropyl methacrylate potassium salt (SPM) additive to tackle this issue. SPMs not only induce large grain size during the film formation but also produce a secondary phase of 2D K PbI to passivate the grain boundaries (GBs).

Recycling Spent Lead-Acid Batteries into Lead Halide for Resource Purification and Multifunctional Perovskite Diodes.

Lead-acid batteries are a reliable and cost-effective uninterrupted power supply for cars, wheelchairs, and others. Recycling the spent lead-acid batteries has increased cost and could be a serious pollution issue after extensive use. It is important to exploit new-generation application to increase their value.

Dual Interfacial Engineering Enables Efficient and Reproducible CsPbIBr All-Inorganic Perovskite Solar Cells.

CsPbIBr all-inorganic perovskite has shown superior photovoltaic properties particularly excellent phase and thermal stability, while the complicated film growth process requires additional research. Herein, the nucleation and crystallization process of the CsPbIBr perovskite film is assisted by methyl acetate anti-solvent treatment. Additionally, a tailored SnO nanoparticle/TiO nanocrystal structured double electron transport layers (ETLs) is designed to remove the interfacial energy barrier, thus enhancing charge transfer and decrease charge recombination at the CsPbIBr/ETL interfaces.

Highly Conjugated Three-Dimensional Covalent Organic Frameworks Based on Spirobifluorene for Perovskite Solar Cell Enhancement.

Highly conjugated three-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (3D COFs) were constructed based on spirobifluorene cores linked via imine bonds (SP-3D-COFs) with novel interlacing conjugation systems. The crystalline structures were confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction and detailed structural simulation. A 6- or 7-fold interpenetration was formed depending on the structure of the linking units.

Ternary CuZnS Nanocrystals: Synthesis, Characterization, and Interfacial Application in Perovskite Solar Cells.

Ternary CuZnS nanocrystals (NCs) are synthesized via a facile, scalable, noninjection method at low temperatures for the first time, wherein sodium ascorbate plays the dual roles of reducing agent and capping ligand in the preparation process. These NCs can be dispersed well in a polar solvent like dimethyl sulfoxide, and the average size is ∼4 nm as measured by transmission electron microscopy. The results of X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicate that the crystal structure of CuZnS NCs displays covellite CuS-like structure and the Zn element partly occupies the Cu position.

Performance Enhancement of Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells Based on Smooth and Compact PCBM:SnO Electron Transport Layers.

In this work, PCBM:SnO electron transport layers (ETLs) were applied in inverted CHNHPbI perovskite solar cells, and a high power conversion efficiency of 19.7% could be obtained. It increased by 49.

Controllable Spatial Configuration on Cathode Interface for Enhanced Photovoltaic Performance and Device Stability.

The molecular structure of cathode interface modification materials can affect the surface morphology of the active layer and key electron transfer processes occurring at the interface of polymer solar cells in inverted structures mostly due to the change of molecular configuration. To investigate the effects of spatial configuration of the cathode interfacial modification layer on polymer solar cells device performances, we introduced two novel organic ionic salts (linear NS2 and three-dimensional (3D) NS4) combined with the ZnO film to fabricate highly efficient inverted solar cells. Both organic ionic salts successfully decreased the surface traps of the ZnO film and made its work function more compatible.