Polymer Integration in Perovskite Solar Cell Technologies

Polymer integration has emerged as a critical strategy to address the stability, efficiency and scalability challenges that impede the commercialisation of perovskite solar cells. By incorporating long‐chain polymers or functional polymer additives into the perovskite active layer or at key interfaces, researchers have achieved enhanced film formation, defect passivation, moisture resistance and mechanical robustness. These polymer–perovskite composites can bridge grain boundaries, reduce trap states and even impart self-healing capabilities, thereby mitigating the intrinsic sensitivity of metal halide perovskites to humidity, heat and ultraviolet light. Moreover, polymers can serve as tailored interlayers for charge transport or as cross-linkable networks that reinforce film cohesion. Collectively, these approaches offer a versatile toolbox for improving power conversion efficiencies while extending operational lifetimes, bringing perovskite photovoltaics closer to practical deployment.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have demonstrated the use of a conductive polyaniline passivation layer inserted between the perovskite absorber and the electron transport layer. This polymeric interfacial modifier absorbs harmful UV-A radiation and confines lead ions, resulting in over 15 % conversion efficiency and retention of more than 84 % of initial performance after one month in ambient air. In parallel, the addition of polyethylene oxide particles to formamidinium-rich perovskite films has enabled controlled grain growth, yielding a planar cell with 18 % efficiency and 80 % retention of performance after 140 h under humid conditions. Foundational work on a hygroscopic polymer scaffold architecture, prepared via a mild-temperature process, introduced self-healing behaviour in lead halide perovskite films, achieving 16 % efficiency and rapid recovery after exposure to water vapour.

Polymer Integration in Perovskite Solar Cell Technologies publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in polymer integration in perovskite solar cell technologies across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Perovskite solar cell: Photovoltaic device that uses a crystalline metal halide perovskite compound as the light‐absorbing layer.

Polymer scaffold: Long-chain polymer framework embedded in perovskite films to enhance mechanical integrity and facilitate self-healing.

Grain boundary: Interface between adjacent crystalline domains where defects and trap states commonly accumulate.

Passivation: Treatment or additive that neutralises defects at surfaces or grain boundaries to reduce non-radiative recombination.

Cross-linking: Chemical bonding between polymer chains that forms a network to stabilise perovskite films against environmental stress.

Self-healing: Intrinsic ability of a material system to recover its structural and functional properties after damage.

Power conversion efficiency: Percentage of incident solar energy converted into electrical energy by a solar cell.

References

1. The Applications of Polymers in Solar Cells: A Review. Polymers (2019).
2. A polymer scaffold for self-healing perovskite solar cells. Nature Communications (2016).
3. A high‐efficiency and stable perovskite solar cell fabricated in ambient air using a polyaniline passivation layer. Scientific Reports (2022).
4. Effects of polyethylene oxide particles on the photo-physical properties and stability of FA-rich perovskite solar cells. Scientific Reports (2022).
5. Elucidating the Mechanism of Self-Healing in Hydrogel-Lead Halide Perovskite Composites for Use in Photovoltaic Devices. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces (2023).
6. Improving Thermal Stability of Perovskite Solar Cells by Thermoplastic Additive Engineering. Energies (2023).
7. Formamidinium Lead Iodide Perovskite Films with Polyvinylpyrrolidone Additive for Active Layer in Perovskite Solar Cells, Enhanced Stability and Electrical Conductivity. Materials (2021).