MXene-Enhanced Performance in Perovskite Solar Cells

Two-dimensional transition metal carbides and nitrides, known as MXenes, have emerged as versatile additives and interface modifiers in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Their exceptional electrical conductivity, adjustable surface terminations and strong mechanical robustness enable significant improvements in charge extraction, defect passivation and environmental stability. By incorporating MXenes at strategic layers—such as the electron transport layer (ETL), perovskite–transport interfaces or as back-electrodes—researchers have achieved enhanced crystallinity, reduced trap densities and improved energy-level alignment. These advances translate into higher open-circuit voltages, greater short-circuit currents and elevated power conversion efficiencies (PCEs), while also mitigating issues of moisture ingress and ion migration. The global significance of this field lies in the potential for low-cost, scalable PSCs with lifetimes and efficiencies approaching those of established photovoltaic technologies.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have demonstrated the integration of a molybdenum ditelluride–perovskite tandem architecture to broaden light harvesting into the near-infrared region. In this design, a thin MoTe₂ layer (bandgap ≈1 eV) is stacked with a conventional methylammonium lead iodide absorber, yielding a monolithic tandem cell with a PCE of 18.5 % under standard illumination. The MXene-derived interfaces facilitate seamless charge transport and optimal band alignment. Further refinement—replacing a conventional spiro-OMeTAD hole transport layer with reduced graphene oxide—suppressed non-radiative losses and elevated the PCE to over 20 %. This work highlights how 2D materials can be orchestrated within multi-junction devices to extract energy from a broader solar spectrum and push efficiencies beyond single-junction limits.

MXene-Enhanced Performance in Perovskite Solar Cells publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in mxene-enhanced performance in perovskite solar cells across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

MXene: A family of two-dimensional transition metal carbides, nitrides or carbonitrides with high electrical conductivity and tunable surface chemistry.

Perovskite: A class of materials with the ABX₃ crystal structure, commonly metal halide compounds used as light-absorbing layers in solar cells.

Power Conversion Efficiency (PCE): The ratio of electrical power output to incident solar power input, expressed as a percentage.

Electron Transport Layer (ETL): A semiconductor layer that selectively extracts and transports electrons from the perovskite absorber to the electrode.

Hole Transport Layer (HTL): A material layer that selectively extracts and conducts holes (positive charge carriers) from the perovskite to the counter-electrode.

Tandem Solar Cell: A photovoltaic device comprising multiple absorber layers with different bandgaps to utilise a broader range of the solar spectrum.

References

1. A Review on Interface Engineering of MXenes for Perovskite Solar Cells. Nano-Micro Letters (2023).
2. Efficient Two-Dimensional Perovskite Solar Cells Realized by Incorporation of Ti3C2Tx MXene as Nano-Dopants. Nano-Micro Letters (2021).
3. High-performance parallel tandem MoTe2/perovskite solar cell based on reduced graphene oxide as hole transport layer. Scientific Reports (2022).
4. 2D-MXene as an additive to improve the power conversion efficiency of monolithic perovskite solar cells. Materials Letters (2022).