Dr. Kun Sun is holding a perovskite solar cell.
Photo Credit: Dr. Yuxin Liang / TUM
Scientific Frontline: Extended "At a Glance" Summary: Weather-Resistant Perovskite Solar Cells
The Core Concept: Perovskite solar cells are an emerging, highly efficient technology for converting solar light into electricity that have recently been engineered with molecular anchors to withstand the structural deterioration caused by extreme environmental temperature swings.
Key Distinction/Mechanism: Unlike traditional robust solar cells, perovskites possess a fragile crystal lattice that expands and contracts during thermal cycling (repeated heating and cooling), leading to severe power loss. The new stabilizing mechanism utilizes bulky organic molecules, specifically PDMA, which act as molecular spacers or "anchors" to physically hold the crystal structure together and prevent structural breakdown under mechanical stress.
Major Frameworks/Components:
- Thermal Cycling: The real-world environmental process of rapid temperature fluctuation that induces a massive initial "burn-in" degradation phase in the cells.
- High-Efficiency Wide-Bandgap Cells: The specific upper-layer cells utilized in tandem solar setups that were observed in real-time during structural degradation studies.
- Molecular Anchors (PDMA): Specially designed bulky organic spacer molecules that function as an internal microscopic scaffold to stabilize the perovskite lattice.
- Tandem Architecture: Stacked solar cell designs utilized to maximize sunlight absorption and overall electrical output.
Branch of Science: Materials Science, Photovoltaics, and Physical Chemistry.
Future Application: The manufacturing and commercial deployment of highly efficient, next-generation tandem solar modules capable of enduring decades of outdoor use across changing seasons without experiencing early-stage performance degradation.
Why It Matters: Unlocking the long-term structural stability of perovskite solar cells eliminates a critical "burn-in" phase that traditionally costs up to 60% of their relative performance. This breakthrough bridges the gap between record-breaking laboratory efficiency and real-world durability, clearing a major hurdle for the mass production of cheaper, high-yield solar panels required to meet global climate goals.
Perovskite solar cells are widely seen as the next big leap in photovoltaics. These devices use a special class of crystalline materials that convert sunlight into electricity with exceptional efficiency. However, their sensitivity to temperature swings has slowed their path to our rooftops. Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Cluster of Excellence e-conversion have now identified why these promising materials lose their performance – and how they can be stabilized.
Perovskite solar cells are among the most promising technologies for making solar power cheaper and more efficient. Working with partners from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), DESY (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchroton), and the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, the team uncovered the microscopic mechanisms behind the deterioration of the material through temperature swings and developed a strategy to prevent it. Their approach focuses on stabilizing the fragile crystal structure with specially designed molecular “anchors”.
Beyond the Lab: Survival in the Real World
To achieve the climate goals of tomorrow, solar cells must endure for decades. While perovskites have reached record-breaking efficiencies in converting solar light into electricity, they face a brutal enemy in nature: extreme temperature changes. Experts refer to this as thermal cycling. In a single day, a solar panel can fluctuate from freezing nights to scorching heat. These real-world conditions, repeated heating and cooling, can trigger an early degradation phase in which perovskite solar cells may lose their relative performance.
"If we want these cells on every roof, we have to ensure they don't just perform in the lab, but endure the stress of the seasons," says Prof. Peter Müller-Buschbaum, Chair of Functional Materials at TUM School of Natural Sciences and member of the e-conversion Cluster of Excellence. His research team works on this challenge and has identified the microscopic causes of this instability. They developed new design strategies to make the top layer of tandem solar cells more robust, enabling them to withstand real-world conditions. Tandem solar cells are made up of stacked solar cells (two in minimum) and therefore make better use of sunlight.
The "Burn-In" Phase Decoded
In a study published in Nature Communications, lead author Dr. Kun Sun from the TUM Chair of Functional Materials and the team investigated so-called High-Efficiency Wide-Bandgap cells – the upper cells in a tandem solar cell. Using high-resolution X-ray measurements at DESY, the team watched the material "breathe" in real-time during rapid temperature changes; the lattice periodically expanded and contracted in response to rapid temperature fluctuations.
The discovery was striking degradation happening in a massive initial "burn-in" phase, where cells can lose up to 60% of their relative performance. "We revealed that a microscopic tug-of-war triggers this loss," explains Dr. Kun Sun. “Tensions arise inside the material and its structure changes – this costs power.” This finding gives engineers a clear target: if we can eliminate the burn-in, we can unlock long-term stability.
Designing the "Perfect Anchor"
How do we stop the material from falling apart? In a second paper published in ACS Energy Letters, the researchers reported how to stabilize the sensitive crystal material. They used special organic molecules that act as spacers, holding the structure together – like a molecular scaffold.
By comparing different spacers, the researchers found a winner: while common spacers led to structural breakdown, the bulkier organic molecule PDMA acted as a superior anchor. The result is a significantly more robust solar cell that remains stable even under the mechanical stress of rapid heating and cooling.
"The future of photovoltaics is tandem," says Prof. Peter Müller-Buschbaum. "By understanding these microscopic mechanics, we are paving the way for a new generation of solar modules that are both highly efficient and durable enough for decades of outdoor use."
Published in journal:
- Nature Communications
- ACS Energy Letters
Title:
- Insights into the operational stability of wide-bandgap perovskite and tandem solar cells under rapid thermal cycling
- Halide Segregation in Wide-Bandgap Quasi-2D Perovskites under Rapid Thermal Cycling
Authors:
- Kun Sun, Renjun Guo, Qilin Zhou, Lingyi Fang, Xiongzhuo Jiang, Simon A. Wegener, Yuxin Liang, Zerui Li, Suzhe Liang, Matthias Schwartzkopf, Erkan Aydin, Sarathlal Koyiloth Vayalil, Stephan V. Roth, Ulrich W. Paetzold, and Peter Müller-Buschbaum
- Kun Sun, Kin Long Fong, Xiaojing Ci, Xiongzhuo Jiang, Simon Alexander Wegener,Yuxin Liang, Zerui Li, Matthias Schwartzkopf, Sarathlal Koyiloth, Stephan V. Roth, and Peter Müller-Buschbaum
Source/Credit: Technische Universität München
Reference Number: ms032726_01