Key takeaways:
Rochester Institute of Technology tested perovskite solar cells in space, demonstrating performance over a 100-day mission in low Earth orbit
Modified interface layers improved stability, with cells showing extended operational lifetimes under continuous illumination and elevated temperatures
Radiation effects in space may both degrade and partially heal perovskite materials, offering potential advantages for future space applications
A limitation of a perovskite cell is its instability in moisture- and oxygen-rich environments. However, although niche, these cells are finding applications in the residential and C&I markets as a standalone technology or in tandem with crystalline silicon technology. Efforts to commercialize this technology are underway, with some large-scale manufacturing capacities announced over the past year. Several equipment manufacturers have also launched perovskite turnkey lines.
Another application being explored for perovskites is space, where they are used to power satellites orbiting Earth and also beyond. Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) has been working on evaluating the performance of perovskite cells in space, deployed on a CubeSat aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket for about 100 days at the altitude of the International Space Station (ISS).
Research published in 2024 by the RIT team explained the radiation damage and healing mechanism of perovskite solar cells. Ahmad Kirmani, Assistant Professor at the School of Chemistry and Materials Science, RIT, published these findings in Nature Communications. In his talk at TEDx RIT at that time, Kirmani said, “It is bizarre to observe that the perovskite film can withstand radiation 100 times more than what silicon can withstand.”
As part of its research, the RIT team modified the layers of perovskite cells, particularly the interface layer between perovskite and the hole transport layer (HTL), using phosphonic acid, which reinforces the HTL. This modification helps protect the perovskite interface. A Voc of about 40 mV was observed, indicating recombination at the interfaces. The unlaminated perovskite cells were also stress-tested with a tolerance of about 3,000 h, retaining 90% of the initial efficiency (T90), and 5,900 h retaining 80% the initial efficiency (T80), both at 65°C and under continuous 1.2-sun Am 1.5G illumination. With the same reinforced HTL layer, the cells were launched into low Earth orbit (LEO) on a CubeSat, and the space-testing results exceeded T80 for 100 days.
The current test of perovskite cells on board a rocket demonstrates their field performance in challenging environments, including ultraviolet radiation, solar storms, extreme temperatures, and vacuum. The radiation that degrades the perovskite film also helps in healing it, according to Kirmani. This advantage also creates an opportunity for its application beyond the LEO, which is at about 400 km from the Earth’s surface. Additionally, the overpopulation, projected to result from the launch of about 100,000 satellites over the next decade, will push space technology beyond LEO, where perovskite could be an option. The latest research can be accessed on ScienceDirect under the title: Phosphonic-acid-reinforced polymer hole transport layers for deployable p-i-n perovskite photovoltaics.
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