In the field of new energy materials and technology, Chinese scientists have once again made remarkable breakthroughs. The team of Wang Rui from the Future Industry Research Center of Westlake University and the School of Engineering successfully stacked perovskite and copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) together to achieve a photoelectric conversion efficiency of 23.4% for flexible tandem solar cells, which was published in the internationally renowned academic journal Nature Photonics, setting a new milestone for the development of global solar cell technology.
Technological breakthroughs and innovations
Clever design of the stacked structure: Wang Rui's team stacked perovskite and copper indium gallium selenide, a design similar to a multi-layer cake, with each layer being a different type of semiconductor material specifically designed to capture specific wavelengths of sunlight. Compared with traditional single-junction perovskite solar cells, this tandem structure can significantly expand the energy capture range, thereby converting sunlight into electricity more efficiently, breaking through the bottleneck of single-junction solar cell conversion efficiency. The photoelectric conversion efficiency of single-junction perovskite solar cells has rapidly increased from 3.8% in 2009 to about 27% at present, and the emergence of tandem solar cell technology provides a new way to continue to improve efficiency.
Fine optimization of the preparation process: The preparation of tandem solar cells has strict requirements for the thickness and uniformity of each layer, and Wang Rui's team has thought out of the box and tried different perovskite thin film preparation processes on copper indium gallium selenide substrates after many attempts and failures in the research and development process. Finally, they found a sample with uniform and dense perovskite surface morphology under the electron microscope, and achieved a rapid breakthrough in the technology of flexible perovskite/copper indium gallium selenide tandem solar cells at both ends by continuously optimizing the preparation process of perovskite layers and other layers, and the photoelectric conversion efficiency continued to rise.
Figure: Westlake University team stacked perovskites and CIGS, flexible tandem solar cell efficiency of 23.4%
Performance and application prospects
Excellent photoelectric performance and thinness: The flexible tandem solar cell not only has a photoelectric conversion efficiency of up to 23.4%, but also has the characteristics of thinness and softness, and its thickness is only equivalent to the diameter of a human hair. This characteristic makes it have a wide range of application prospects in many fields, such as construction, automobiles, aircraft, flexible wearable devices, etc. In the field of construction, it can be used as a photovoltaic material for the façade of the building to achieve energy self-sufficiency of the building; In the automotive field, it can be integrated on the surface of the automobile body to provide auxiliary power supply for the car; In the field of aircraft, it can be used to manufacture lightweight and efficient solar cell wings to extend the endurance of aircraft; In the field of flexible wearable devices, it can provide convenient energy supply for smart watches, smart clothing and other devices.
Promote the development of the new energy industry: With the maturity of technology and the reduction of production costs, this kind of flexible tandem solar cells is expected to become an important force to promote the development of green energy. In the wave of vigorously promoting the green economy and renewable energy layout in the world, this technological progress of Westlake University has undoubtedly set a new benchmark for China in the field of new energy, and is expected to lead the development of the global new energy industry.
Industry Significance and Challenges
Promoting technological progress in the industry: The research results of Rui Wang's team have injected new vitality into the development of the solar cell industry, providing a new direction for improving the efficiency of solar cells and expanding application fields. This breakthrough is expected to trigger technological change in the industry, prompt other scientific research teams and enterprises to increase investment in research and development of tandem solar cell technology, and promote the rapid progress of technology in the entire industry.
Challenges: Despite major breakthroughs, flexible tandem solar cells still face some challenges in achieving large-scale commercial applications. First of all, the complexity and cost of the preparation process are high, and it needs to be further optimized and reduced to improve market competitiveness. Secondly, the stability and durability of tandem solar cells need to be further improved to meet the requirements of long-term use. In addition, issues such as compatibility with existing grid systems and energy storage technologies need to be addressed to achieve efficient use and storage of solar energy.
Future outlook
The major breakthrough of Wang Rui's team at Westlake University in the field of flexible tandem solar cells is an important innovation in the field of new energy materials and technology in China, which has important scientific significance and application value. This achievement not only demonstrates the R&D strength and innovation ability of Chinese researchers in the field of solar cells, but also provides new ideas and methods for the development of global solar cell technology. In the future, with the continuous progress of technology and the reduction of costs, flexible tandem solar cells are expected to be widely used in more fields, making greater contributions to the wide application and sustainable development of clean energy. At the same time, we should also be soberly aware of the challenges we face, which requires the joint efforts of the government, scientific research institutions and enterprises to increase the research and development and application promotion of related technologies to promote the rapid development of China's new energy industry.
