Boosted performances of mesoscopic perovskite solar cells using LaFeO3 inorganic perovskite nanomaterial

Abstract

• LaFeO 3 was used as an inorganic perovskite nanomaterial to modify the ETL of PSCs. • Several LaFeO 3 amounts were added to the ETL of PSCs as the renewable energy source. • The highest efficiency of 17.05% was measured for the cell containing 6 mg LaFeO 3 . • The champion device exhibited J SC = 21.12 mA.cm −2 , V OC = 1.044 V and FF = 77.33%. • The lowest recombination of charge carriers was happened in the champion PSC. Mesoscopic TiO 2 is modified with nanoparticles of an inorganic perovskite LaFeO 3 to form LaFeO 3 :TiO 2 nanocomposites which are utilized as electron transport layers (ETLs) in perovskite solar cells (PCSs) as a significant source of renewable energy. Simple synthesis methods are used for the LaFeO 3 , TiO 2 nanoparticles and LaFeO 3 :TiO 2 nanocomposites. The TiO 2 nanoparticles exhibit an anatase crystalline phase with an average diameter of ∼18 nm and particle size of LaFeO 3 nanoparticles with a symmetric orthorhombic crystal structure is about 55 nm. It is demonstrated that adding an optimal amount of LaFeO 3 to the ETL leads to a reduction of charge transfer resistance and also decreases charge carriers’ recombination. This approach produces PSC devices with higher performances when LaFeO 3 is used in the ETL. The champion lead halide perovskite-structured solar cell is fabricated with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 17.05% that is superior to that of the solar cell containing pure TiO 2 ETL. The open circuit voltage (V OC ) and fill factor (FF) are 1.044 V and 77.33% for the champion device, indicating a reduction in carriers’ accumulation/recombination plus an increase in the extraction of electrons. The PSC with the ETL modified by 6 mg of LaFeO 3 nanomaterial maintains >70.1% of its initial PCE after 800 h.