The research team led by Yang Yang, a Chinese-American professor of materials engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), has developed an innovative method that significantly boosts the photoelectric conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cells, while also enhancing traditional silicon-based panels. This breakthrough addresses key challenges such as high costs and environmental pollution associated with rare earth elements used in conventional solar technologies.
Silicon solar panels, although widely used, are expensive due to the cost of silica and their manufacturing process is known for causing significant environmental harm. In recent years, researchers have been actively seeking alternatives that offer higher efficiency, lower pollution, and reduced costs. Perovskite solar cells, which theoretically can reach up to 50% efficiency, have emerged as a promising candidate.
After seven months of intensive research, Yang Yang, alongside postdoctoral fellows Chen Qi and Zhou Huaiping, successfully increased the photoelectric conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cells from 3% to 16%. This advancement not only improves efficiency but also overcomes previous limitations where perovskite solar cells struggled to balance performance with large-area applications.
In an interview with "World News," Yang Yang explained: “Perovskite solar cells consist of two main materials. The traditional method involves baking them together, but since the two materials have different boiling points, they don’t mix evenly. This causes poor electron transfer at the interface, reducing overall efficiency.†To solve this, the team used vapor deposition to “steam†one material into another, creating a more uniform and conductive film. Even though the current panel is only one square meter, its performance is far superior to earlier perovskite models of similar size. Yang Yang hopes to push the efficiency even further, aiming for 20% in the near future.
Yang Yang has dedicated over a decade to solar cell research. He remarked, “Everyone is searching for the ideal solar cell. While silicon crystalline panels have high efficiency—around 18%—the production process is energy-intensive, and it takes at least five years to recoup the electricity used. Plus, silica is costly and highly polluting, making it less than ideal.†In contrast, he believes perovskite technology is far more advantageous.
"World News" noted that perovskite is an artificially synthesized ceramic oxide, meaning there’s no risk of resource depletion. Its simple fabrication process also allows for significant cost reductions, opening up vast commercial potential. The findings from Yang Yang’s team were published in the January 15 issue of the *Journal of the American Chemical Society*.
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