EPFL proposes standard measurements for perovskite aging

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Perovskite solar cells have seemingly stood on the brink of commercialization for the past several years, with issues of stability and quick degradation the main factor still holding the technology back from commercialization.

With leading research institutes all over the world working on a range of solutions to this –  separately proposed methods include a steel mill grinding process and treating the cells with precise exposure to light and moisture – the EPFL has published a paper proposing standardization for the measurement of stability and degradation in perovskite solar cells, allowing scientists to more effectively compare the different approaches.

“We designed and built a dedicated system to carry out this study. It is state-of-the-art for measuring stability of solar cells,” says lead author of the Paper Konrad Domanski. “We can vary light intensity over samples and control temperature, atmosphere etc. We load the samples, program the experiments, and the data is plotted automatically.”

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The paper, Systematic Investigation of the Impact of Operation Conditions on the Degradation Behaviour of Perovskite Solar Cells, published in the journal Nature Energy, reveals how perovskite solar cells exhibit unique behaviors, such as recovering some degradation losses when kept in dark conditions for several hours, which majorly affect test results and lifespan estimations.

“We are not trying to impose standards on the community,” continues Domanski. “Rather, being on the forefront on perovskite solar cells and their stability research, we try to lead by example and stimulate the discussion on how these standards should look like. We strongly believe that specific protocols will be adopted by consensus, and that dedicated action groups involving a broad range of researchers will be formed for this purpose.”

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