Chapter 24 - Two dimensional MXenes for highly stable and efficient perovskite solar cells

Abstract

The emergence of hybrid inorganic-organic lead halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) has pushed photovoltaic research to a different level because of the improved power conversion efficiencies. However, PSCs exhibit long-term instability issues due to the hygroscopic nature of lead halide perovskite materials and organic hole transporting materials (HTMs), and their high fabrication cost. In this direction, two-dimensional MXenes possessing high chemical and thermal stability, high transmittance, tunable work functions, and efficient hole extraction, have been thoroughly investigated for their use as HTMs and electrodes in PSCs. The present chapter focuses on the preparation methods of MXenes and their incorporation into different interfacial layers of PSCs to obtain highly efficient and stable PSCs under ambient conditions. The effect of MXenes on the uniformity and crystallinity of the perovskite layer leading to the improved performance of PSCs has also been detailed herein.