High Conversion Efficiency Research Articles

Simulation-Guided Preparation of Copper Chalcogenide Nanoparticle-Based Transparent Photothermal Coating with Enhanced Deicing Performance.

In this investigation, transparent photothermal coatings utilizing plasmonic copper chalcogenide (Cu2-xS) nanoparticles were designed and fabricated for the deicing of glass surfaces. Cu2-xS nanoparticles, chosen for their high near-infrared (NIR) absorption and efficient photothermal conversion, were analyzed via finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulations to optimize nanoparticle morphology, thus avoiding costly trial-and-error synthesis. FDTD simulations determined that Cu2-xS nanorods (Cu-NRs) with an optimal aspect ratio of 2.2 had superior NIR absorption. Guided by FDTD simulations, the composite coating composed of Cu-NRs in clear acrylic resin paint was brush-coated to glass, achieving 62.4% visual transmittance and over 95% NIR absorbance. Photothermal conversion tests exhibited a significant temperature increase, with the coating reaching 65 °C under NIR irradiation within 6 min. The dynamic deicing process of ice beads on the coating at -20 °C completed within 220s, in contrast to the frozen state on glass coated with clear acrylic resin paint. Furthermore, heat transfer simulations in COMSOL illustrated melting initiation at the ice-coating interface and subsequent progression through the ice layer. This simulation-driven synthesis method and photothermal testing offer a design framework for the fabrication of photothermal deicing coatings with applications for automobiles, buildings, and aircraft in cold environments.

Harmonic‐Assisted Super‐Resolution Rotational Measurement

AbstractEnhancing rotational measurement resolution and broadening the detectable spectral range are two critical and unresolved matters within the realm of motion perception. The rotational Doppler effect (RDE) is combined with the harmonic generation process to create a rotational measurement scheme that offers flexible detection wavelength conversion, exponential improvement of measurement resolution, and real‐time display of detection results. In the experiments, a cascaded second harmonic generation process is employed to attain a fourfold enhancement in rotational resolution and demonstrate how low‐cost silicon‐based detectors can be used for real‐time detection of infrared objects. This scheme employs a Gaussian beam within the nonlinear process to achieve high conversion efficiency, thereby enabling potential for subsequent cascade amplification. Additionally, it is fully compatible with existing RDE schemes, allowing for co‐amplification of rotational resolution at both the front‐end and back‐end. This research could offer a more precise and cost‐effective method for remote sensing detection.

Multi-Functional AIE Phototheranostic Agent Enhancing αPD-L1 Response for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Immunotherapy.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) represents a prevalent head and neck malignancy with surgical intervention as the primary clinical option. Immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) targeting PD-1/PD-L1 shows great promise but is impeded by the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and low PD-L1 expression in OSCC. Herein, the "all-in-one" phototherapeutic nanoparticles (TSD NPs) are reported with balanced reactive oxygen species and photothermal conversion capacity for combined photoimmunotherapy and ICB immunotherapy against OSCC. A novel electron acceptor, 3-(dicyanomethylene)-2,3-dihydrobenzothiophene-1,1-dioxide (DTM), is introduced to develop the phototherapeutic agent with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) feature and NIR-II fluorescence centered at 1000nm. Benefiting from the AIE feature and the DTM acceptor, the resultant TSD NPs also exhibit strong type I reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and high photothermal conversion efficiency (45.3%), which can profoundly induce immunogenic cell death (ICD), activate cytotoxic T lymphocytes, and convert the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment into an immune-supportive one. Additionally, TSD NPs upregulate the PD-L1 expression on OSCC cells, thus enhancing the efficacy of combined treatment with αPD-L1 ICB immunotherapy. This results show that the synergistic treatment of TSD NPs and αPD-L1 effectively eradicates solid OSCC tumors without adverse effects on normal tissues, proving a novel and promising strategy for OSCC management.

BAs/BlueP van der Waals heterostructures for photovoltaic and thermoelectric applications

The advancement of novel energy materials, encompassing photovoltaic and thermoelectric materials, assumes paramount significance in ameliorating the energy crisis and proactively combating climate change. The BAs/BlueP van der Waals heterostructure (vdWH), characterized by its outstanding optical absorption properties, high power conversion efficiency (PCE), and excellent thermoelectric performance, offers novel insights into the advancement of materials for photonic and thermoelectric applications. We have engineered a vdWH by combining BAs and BlueP, and conducted a comprehensive investigation of its electronic, optical, and thermoelectric properties. The BAs/BlueP vdWH demonstrates excellent thermodynamic and kinetic stability with type I band alignment, facilitating rapid interlayer electron-hole recombination. The remarkable optical absorption capability within the visible and ultraviolet (UV) spectral regions, coupled with an outstanding power conversion efficiency reaching up to 22.35 % under strain, firmly establishes the potential for utilization in photovoltaic conversion applications. At 1000 K, the significant ZT value (1.25) and high thermoelectric conversion efficiency (19.45 %) provide the theoretical foundation for its application in the field of thermoelectrics.

Comparative characterizations of plant and mineral dye as potential photosensitizer in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell

The advent of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) has expansively seen more studies as an alternative to silicon-based and thin-film solar cells due to their simple structure and relatively low production cost. In dye-sensitized solar cells, the dye is one of the major components for high power conversion efficiencies. The extracted dyes were characterized by powder x-ray diffraction, x-ray fluorescence, Scanning electron microscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, and Gas Chromatography-Mass spectrometry analysis. The structure of the mineral dye contains constituents that enhance better absorption of solar radiation for use in a Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC). The calcium and iron content of the mineral dye studied as revealed by the mineralogical analysis done using the powder x-ray diffraction (XRD) and the x-ray fluorescence (XRF) suggest this. These metals serve as bounding complexes to other organic components in the dye, like in the case of Ruthenium complexes dye for efficient absorption of solar radiation, especially in the visible light region. The functional groups present in the dye also confirm what favors good absorption of solar radiation for DSSC application. The Organic chemical compositions present in the mineral dye which were obtained by the Gas Chromatography-Mass spectrometry analysis also confirm the functional groups of carbonyl, Amine, and hydroxyl revealed by FTIR, which were responsible for solar radiation absorption. There are strong absorption narrow bands in the visible region with peaks at around 424 nm (2.903 a.u) and 486 nm (2.973 a.u). Optical band gaps of 1.66 eV and 2.27 eV for the mineral dye and plant dye respectively, were obtained. The properties of the dyes studied give potential substitutes to the relatively expensive ruthenium-based dyes for use in DSSC fabrication.

Symmetric engineered central cross-shaped broadband metamaterial absorber with high absorption and stability for solar sailing and solar energy applications

We propose a theoretical design and analysis of a broadband metamaterial absorber (MMA) with significant potential for solar sailing applications which is a method of spacecraft propulsion that usages the momentum of sunlight to propel a spacecraft through space. The absorber features a metal-dielectric-metal configuration with a tungsten (W) based resonator and ground plane, and a Silicon-dioxide (SiO₂) substrate. Addressing the critical need for materials that can efficiently harness solar radiation for propulsion in space, our design achieves an average absorption of 99.15 % over a broad spectrum from 250 nm to 1200 nm, covering the UV–Visible–NIR regions, with near-unity absorption peaks at 362 nm and 915.8 nm. It maintains high absorptions of 84.9 % and 86 % under transvers electric and transvers magnetic modes respectively, demonstrating excellent wide incident angle stability and polarization insensitivity due to its symmetric design. PCR values close to zero confirm its functionality as an absorber rather than a polarizer. The MMA shows minimal deformation across temperatures from 500 K to 1750 K and remains stable under various mechanical stresses, proving its durability and efficiency in space. Additionally, in solar thermophotovoltaic (STPV) systems, the MMA demonstrates high photothermal conversion efficiency (PTCE) over a wide temperature range (500 °C to 1500 °C) and different concentration factors. This dual functionality highlights its potential for both efficient space exploration and terrestrial solar energy harvesting, making it a versatile tool for future technological applications.

Robust TiN-based photothermal superhydrophobic coating with sandwich structure for effective anti−/de-icing applications

Photothermal superhydrophobic surfaces are prospective to become ideal anti−/de-icing surfaces because of their icing delay and rapid photothermal deicing property. Herein, a universal photothermal superhydrophobic composite coating (PSCC) was robustly sandwiched a photothermal layer based on hydrophobically modified titanium nitride (TiN) composite spherical nanoparticles (TiN@SiO2@OTES) between polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) double layers (the top layer acting for protection and the bottom for thermal insulation and adhesion with the substrate). Due to the high photothermal conversion efficiency (66.0 %) of TiN nanoparticles, the composite coating demonstrated a satisfactory anti−/de-icing efficiency with a stable icing delay time (690 s at 1 sun and − 10 °C) and a fast photothermal de-icing capability (120 s under 1 sun and − 10 °C). In addition, the coating could maintain super-hydrophobicity exhibiting good durability and stability in the lash of sand and water due to the multi-layer design reinforced by PDMS, which was also favorable for residue-free removal of surface to achieve the self-cleaning. Overall, the robust corrosion-resistant photothermal superhydrophobic coating showed a potential for anti−/de-icing application.

Highly sensitive detection of carbendazim in agricultural products using colorimetric and photothermal lateral flow immunoassay based on plasmonic gold nanostars

The wide use and high toxicity of carbendazim (CBD) in agriculture pose unprecedented demands for convenient, sensitive, and cost-effective on-site monitoring. Herein, we propose a novel colorimetric and photothermal dual-mode lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) based on plasmonic gold nanostars (AuNSs) for CBD detection in agricultural products. The AuNSs were synthesized via a rapid seed-mediated growth method (with growth time of ∼5 s). A stable immunoprobe was formed by adsorbing CBD antibodies onto AuNSs. This immunoprobe exhibited high conversion efficiency and sensitivity in photothermal detection with a low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.28 ng mL−1. The LOD of the colorimetric mode was higher (0.48 ng mL−1). The results of CBD detection in various agricultural products aligned well with ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Overall, our LFIA shows excellent sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility, and rapidness in CBD detection, and thus is a highly potential on-site platform in resource-limited environments.

Bio-refinery of organic pollutants for wastewater reclamation

With rapid development of global climate change and resource scarcity, the demand for sustainable wastewater reclamation technologies is growing rapidly. Alginate like exopolymers (ALE) are value-added biopolymers that can be recovered from excess biomass. In this study, a novel biopolymer value-driven moving bed biofilm reactor (bMBBR) was constructed to achieve high-efficiency conversion of organics to Alginate like exopolymers (ALE). The results revealed that excellent COD and low NH4+-N reduction could be achieved, with the reduction efficiencies of 87.7 ± 0.6 % and 12.6 ± 0.8 %, respectively. It is indicated that high-rate organics conversion and blockage of nitrification activity for energy saving could be simultaneous achieved in this process. Additionally, the superior settleability (SVI30 < 80 mL/g) and functional genera related to extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) secretion were observed, making it promising for ALE recovery from residual biomass. The yields of ALE extraction from biofilm and suspended biomass ranged of 232.9–381.5 mg/g VSS. The property analyses demonstrated that the biopolymer had a similarity functional group between two samples and commercial alginate. Meanwhile, the profit evaluation results suggested that the net profit could be reached of 0.54 CNY/kg SS in the present study, which was higher than that of conventional waste activated sludge (−1.92 CNY/kg SS). Moreover, the economic value of ALE (0.38 CNY/m3 wastewater treated) was also 2.93 times of that obtained from CH4 (0.13 CNY/m3 wastewater treated). In general, the present study provides a prove of concept that bio-refinery of organics into value-added biopolymers could offer a promising direction towards next generation of sustainable wastewater treatment plants.

Intercalated Architecture of the Ca2A2Z5 Monolayer with High Electron Mobilities and High Power Conversion Efficiencies.

The exploration of novel two-dimensional (2D) materials with a direct band gap and high mobility has attracted huge attention due to their potential application in electronic and optoelectronic devices. Here, we propose a feasible way to construct multiatomic monolayer Ca2A2Z5 (A = Al and Ga and Z = S, Se, and Te) by first-principles calculations. Our results indicated that the energies of α1-phase Ca2A2Z5 are slightly lower than those of experimentally synthesized α3-phase-like Ca2A2Z5 monolayers with excellent structural stability. Moreover, the α1- and α3-phase Ca2A2Z5 monolayers possess not only direct band gaps but also high electron mobilities (up to ∼103 cm2 V-1 s-1), demonstrating an intriguing range of visible light absorption. Importantly, α1- and α3-phase Ca2Ga2Se5 monolayers are good donor materials, and the corresponding Ca2Ga2Se5/ZrSe2 type-II heterostructures exhibit desirable power conversion efficiencies of 22.4% and 22.9%, respectively. Our findings provide a feasible way to explore new 2D materials and offer several Ca2A2Z5 candidate monolayers for the application of high-performance solar cells.

Single Layer of Crown Ether Enables Efficient, Stable, and Pb Leakage-Free Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells.

Significant challenges in ensuring long-term stability, addressing environmental safety issues, and improving efficiency have hindered the commercialization of inverted Pb-based halide perovskite solar cells (PeSCs). One reasonable approach to addressing these issues is to place an effective buffer layer between the perovskite active layer and the electrode. In this study, we demonstrate the use of crown ether, di-tert-butyl dibenzo-18-crown-6, as a single buffer layer to improve the efficiency, long-term stability, and environmental safety of PeSCs for the first time. The crown ether buffer layer suppressed Ag diffusion from the Ag metal electrodes, thereby improving the performance and lifetime of the device. In addition, it effectively captures Pb ions that may leak into the environment during the whole lifetime of devices, thereby enhancing the environmental safety of PeSCs. Furthermore, PeSCs incorporating crown ethers as buffer layers demonstrated enhanced stability in a nitrogen atmosphere and achieved a high power conversion efficiency of 22.8%. Consequently, this crown ether buffer layer offers an effective and straightforward strategy capable of achieving efficient, stable, and environmentally safe PeSCs.

Fabrication of Active Z-Scheme Sr2MgSi2O7: Eu2+, Dy3+/COF Photocatalyst for Round-the-Clock Efficient Removal of Total Cr.

Photoreduction is recognized as a desirable treatment method for hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)). However, it has been limited by the intermittent solar flux and limited light absorption. In this work, a novel Z-scheme photocatalyst combining a covalent organic framework (COF) with Eu2+, Dy3+ co-doped Sr2MgSi2O7 (Sr2MgSi2O7:Eu2+, Dy3+) is synthesized, which shows the high spectral conversion efficiency and works efficiently in both light irradiation and dark for Cr(VI) reduction. Sr2MgSi2O7:Eu2+, Dy3+ serves as both an electron transfer station and active sites for COF molecule activation, thus resulting in 100% photoreduction of Cr(VI) (50 mL, 10 mg/L) with high light stability and over 1 h dark activity. Moreover, the XPS and FT-IR analyses reveal the existence of functional groups (Si-OH on Sr2MgSi2O7:Eu2+, Dy3+, and -NH- on COFTP-TTA) on the composited catalyst as active sites to adsorb the resultant Cr(III) species, demonstrating a synergistic effect for total Cr removal. This work provides an alternative method for the design of a round-the-clock photocatalyst for Cr(VI) reduction, allowing a versatile solid surface activation for establishing a more energy efficient and robust photocatalysis process for Cr pollution cleaning.

Chelation approach to long-lived and reversible chromium anolytes for aqueous flow batteries

Iron chromium flow battery (ICFB) has the advances of low cost, safety, and independent design of power and capacity, but is restricted by the deactivation of chromium anolytes. Here, a complex of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid with chromium ion (CrDTPA) is designed with minimum capacity loss rate and best cycling stability. DTPA is an octadentate ligand and chelates with chromium ions in a seven-coordinated manner. The coordination structure was studied by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Fourier transform infrared and UV–vis absorption spectra, and identified as a robust structure. CrDTPA has good electrochemical activity and reversibility with a redox potential of −1.145 V versus saturated calomel electrode. A novel iron chromium flow battery (NICFB) is designed by coupling CrDTPA anolytes and Fe(CN)6 catholytes. NICFB displays high energy conversion efficiency with coulombic efficiency of 99.0 % and energy efficiency of 82.2 % at 40 mA cm−2. Importantly, NICFB shows superior cycling stability without performance decay for 160 cycles, ranking the best among recently reported ICFBs. This chelation approach provides a simple and practical method to solve chromium anolytes deactivation and improve cycling stability.

De novo Cu-MOF@CNS nanocomposite coated on a cotton fibrils framework for sustainable solar-driven desalination.

Environmental researchers are extremely concerned about addressing the declining availability of drinking water, which is a critical issue in many nations. Solar-driven desalination is an emerging and pioneering renewable approach to reduce potable water scarcity that is suitable for remote locations, developing countries, and disaster zones as it does not require additional energy supply. However, there are still issues with the scalable preparation of photothermal materials, such as achieving low cost and widening the assortment of useful applications. Conventional carbon- and metal-based absorbers are intricate and fragile, which make them difficult to install and transport in places with minimal infrastructure. Thus, a universal process for creating adaptable solar evaporators is sorely required. Herein, we have come up with a holistic approach using a solar absorber (GJ-01(Cal)) derived from a Cu-MOF (HKUST-1) and carbon nanosheets (CNSs) for generating potable water from saline water using solar radiation. The as-synthesized material provides high-performance photothermal water evaporation when illuminated under solar irradiation at the air-water interface. Moreover, its porous structure, high photothermal conversion efficiency, rapid water flow, and heat insulation make it appropriate for saline water desalination. CNS play a pivotal role in improving the photothermal features of the solar absorber (GJ-01(Cal)) in terms of conjugation to promote Cu(0) species and pyrrolic nitrogen (P-N) amplification and thereby enrich the p-type nature of the absorber's triphasic configuration. With these photothermal factors, the localised surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of electrons increases and achieves high solar spectrum absorption. The GJ-01(Cal) was further coated on porous cotton fibrils (CF) that regulate photothermal interfacial evaporation (PTIE) by allowing water transportation via capillary action. This assemblage of the nanocomposite on CF efficiently evaporates water at a higher surface temperature of ∼47 °C under one solar illumination, achieving 4.23 kg m-2 h-1 of evaporation flux and 96.5% light-to-heat conversion efficiency. Interestingly, the GJ-01(Cal) coated over CF can be recycled at least 10 times. Additionally, it offers scalable production for higher photothermal efficiency with a flexible substrate as a solar evaporator and is beneficial for society paving new horizons towards a sustainable environment.

Engineering optimal gold nanorod-loaded hollow mesoporous organosilica nanotheranostics for NIR-II photoacoustic microscopy imaging and tumor synergistic therapy

Biodegradable hollow mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles (HMON)-based nanotheranostics has recently gained growing interests due to their tremendous potential as an attractive platform for cancer imaging and therapy. However, the engineering of HMON-based nanotheranostics for size-dependent biological profile on in vivo tumor uptake, biodistribution and retention in tumor region have not been achieved to date. Here, a novel tumor microenvironment (TME)-activated nanoplatform employing miniature gold nanorod-loaded HMON (Au@HMON) with tunable hollow cavity of HMON coating is presented, and its application in the second near infrared (NIR-II, 1000–1700 nm) window photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) imaging-guided synergistic chemo-photothermal therapy is studied by loading doxorubicin (DOX). The cancer cell membrane (CCM) biomimetic nanotheranostics (Au@HMON-DOX@CCM) exhibited a high photothermal conversion efficiency of 41.1 % for photothermal therapy (PTT) and PAM imaging. Among the three investigated nanotheranostics, the 221 nm-nanotheranostics exhibited stronger PAM signal and higher drug loading efficacy than the small counterparts (156- and 186-nm) due to the thicker HMON coating layer, larger surface area and intermediate void structure. Therefore, synergistic chemo-photothermal therapy using 221 nm-nanotheranostics is achieved to efficiently inhibit tumor growth. This strategy affords design parameters for engineering HMON-based “all-in-one” nanotheranostics for photoacoustic imaging-guided cancer treatment.

Aggregation-Induced Emission-Active Organic Nanoagent with High Photothermal Conversion Efficiency for Near-Infrared Imaging-Guided Tumor Photothermal Therapy.

Photothermal therapy (PTT) provides a great prospect for noninvasive cancer therapy. However, it is still highly challenging to construct photothermal agents (PTAs) with the desired performances for imaging-guided PTT applications. Herein, a D-A-D-type naphthalene diamine (NDI)-based photothermal nano-PTAs NDS-BPN NP with near-infrared region (NIR) emission at 822 nm, aggregation-induced emission (AIE), high photothermal conversion efficiency (55.05%), and excellent photothermal stability is successfully designed and prepared through a simple two-step engineering method by using a new AIE molecule NDS-BPN and DSPE-PEG2000 as precursors. The prepared PTT nanoagents NDS-BPN NPs have been further applied for efficient photothermal ablation of cancer cells in vitro and also achieved the NIR fluorescent image-guided PTT tumor therapy in vivo with satisfactory results. We believe that this work provides an attractive NIR AIE NDI-based nano-PTA for the phototherapy of tumors as well as develops the construction strategy of NDI molecular-based photothermal nanoagents with desired performances for imaging-guided PTT.

Interface passivation treatment enables GaAs/CNT heterojunction solar cells over 19 % efficiency

Without interface passivation, few technologies have realized carbon material-based GaAs heterojunction solar cells (HJSCs) with high power conversion efficiency (PCE) and long-term stability. Here, inorganic hole transport materials, such as CuSCN and CuI, were first created to address the issue of interface photo-generated carrier recombination in GaAs/carbon nanotube (CNT) HJSCs. The application of CuSCN and CuI passivation layer enables the PCE of GaAs/CNT HJSCs to be improved from 8.53 % to 17.22 % and 12.48 %, respectively. Furthermore, by employing the multifunctional WO3 film, which can serve simultaneously as a hole-blocking layer and an anti-reflection coating, to construct a collaborative optimization system, the cell performance can be further enhanced to 19.06 % and 15.53 %, respectively. Additionally, their stability has been significantly enhanced to 98.11 % and 111.5 %, respectively, which are much higher than that of the pristine HJSC (8.53 %). Especially, the high quality of Cu+-based passivation layer affords a fill factor (FF) of 80.21 %, which is a record for GaAs-based HJSCs. This work is a breakthrough as it presents a pioneering cross-generational concept for addressing the poor stability performance of carbon materials-based HJSCs.

Photo-Thermal Conversion and Raman Sensing Properties of Three-Dimensional Gold Nanostructure.

Three-dimensional plasma nanostructures with high light-thermal conversion efficiency show the prospect of industrialization in various fields and have become a research hotspot in areas of light-heat utilization, solar energy capture, and so on. In this paper, a simple chemical synthesis method is proposed to prepare gold nanoparticles, and the electrophoretic deposition method is used to assemble large-area three-dimensional gold nanostructures (3D-GNSs). The light-thermal water evaporation monitoring and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) measurements of 3D-GNSs were performed via theoretical simulation and experiments. We reveal the physical processes of local electric field optical enhancement and the light-thermal conversion of 3D-GNSs. The results show that with the help of the efficient optical trapping and super-hydrophilic surface properties of 3D-GNSs, they have a significant effect in accelerating water evaporation, which was increased by nearly eight times. At the same time, the three-dimensional SERS substrates based on gold nanosphere particles (GNSPs) and gold nanostar particles (GNSTs) had limited sensitivities of 10-10 M and 10-12 M to R6G molecules, respectively. Therefore, 3D-GNSs show strong competitiveness in the fields of solar-energy-induced water purification and the Raman trace detection of organic molecules.

Water-Based Recycling Process of FTO/SnO2 Substrate for Sustainable Perovskite Solar Cell Technology.

Fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate is an important and expensive component in perovskite solar cells (PSCs), which accounts for up to 40% of a typical PSC raw material cost. In this study, we investigated the recyclability of SnO2/FTO in PSCs by washing the spent PSCs using different solvent such as dimethylformamide (DMF), dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), acetone, water, and acetone/water mixture. Characterisation of properties of the SnO2/FTO substrates recovered from the PSCshow the surface wettability of SnO2/FTO is largely unchanged with water washing while a higher hydrophobicity is obtained with organic solvent washing. Comparison of electronic properties of the SnO2/FTO substrate shows a downward shift of the conduction band by 180 meV with water washing, creating favourable energy alignment with adjacent perovskite for efficient interfacial charge injection. Consequently, PSCs using the water-based recycled SnO2/FTO substrates produced a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 19.33% which is comparable to the device using fresh SnO2/FTO substrate (PCE = 19.85%). Furthermore, we demonstrated that the water washing process could retain property of SnO2/FTO substrate for decent PSC performance up to four recycling cycles. This study opens new avenues towards recycling of valuable FTO substrates in PSCs for increased sustainability and cost-effectiveness.

Enhanced efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells through nanoimprinting dual-functional nanostructured PEAI/2D/3D perovskite interface

Using 2D perovskite for interface passivation and micro-nanostructures for light harvesting have emerged as highly effective strategies to enhance the electronic and optical performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) respectively. However, simultaneously achieving electronic and optical manipulation remains a challenge that holds significant importance in improving the efficiency and stability of PSCs. Here, we employed thermal imprinting to fabricate dual-functional nanostructured PEAI/2D/3D interface, which effectively passivates perovskite surface imperfections by 2D perovskites and enhances light absorption by periodic nanostructures. The simultaneous electronic and optical manipulation leads to a significant improvement in both efficiency and long-term stability. The PSCs with the dual-functional interface show a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 22.45 % and retain 90 % of their initial PCE after exposure to an 85 °C N2 atmosphere for 550 h.