Matthew Lloyd Davies

Organic–inorganic metal halide perovskites (OIHPs) have emerged as a leading photovoltaic material. Due to demand for lightweight, bendable power sources in portable technologies, flexible perovskite solar cells (FPSCs) show promise for wearable applications. FPSCs offer advantages including low-temperature fabrication, low cost, flexibility, and excellent optoelectronic properties. Commonly used polymer substrates, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), for FPSC applications exhibit poor thermal tolerance, necessitating low-temperature processing. This is critical for FPSCs utilizing these substrates, as temperatures exceeding the glass transition temperature (Tg) can induce substrate deformation. Currently, titanium dioxide (TiO2) is the most commonly used electron transport layer (ETL) in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, TiO2 typically requires high annealing temperatures, which are incompatible with flexible PSCs fabricated on polymer substrates. Therefore, SnO2 has emerged as an alternative ETL, enabling low-temperature fabrication while maintaining high electrical conductivity. Here, we investigated the effect of annealing temperature ranging from 110 to 160 [[EQUATION]]on PET substrates and examine the influence of annealing temperature SnO2 film deposited flexible substrate on the intrinsic properties of the ETL and the photovoltaic performance of FPSCs. Prior to this investigation, the thermal tolerance of the flexible PET/ITO substrate was first evaluated to determine the maximum temperature that the substrate could withstand without significant deformation. An optimal annealing temperature of 150 [[EQUATION]] was identified, leading to enhanced visible-light transmittance, improved film uniformity and coverage, increased electron mobility, less charge recombination and low resistance can be obtained. and a significant improvement in the overall power conversion efficiency of the flexible devices. The optical, structural, and morphological characteristics of the prepared films were characterized using UV–visible spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy (AFM), while electrical properties were measured using Hall effect measurements and a four-point probe technique. Photovoltaic performance was evaluated using current–voltage (IV) measurements. By optimizing the annealing temperature of SnO2, the highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the prepared FPSCs reached 5.29%, with a short-circuit current (Jsc) of 12.15 mA/cm2 and an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.9 V representing a good charge extractions enhancement. This study highlights the valuable role of optimized SnO2 annealing temperature as an ETL in enhancing the efficiency of flexible PSCs while ensuring the thermal tolerance of the PET/ITO substrate, paving the way for optoelectronic device applications and demonstrating strong potential for large-scale commercialization of flexible PSCs.

Rural energy poverty remains a critical barrier to climate resilience and inclusive development, with over 750 million people still lacking reliable electricity. This study presents a transformative decision framework for deploying sugarcane bagasse-based energy systems in developing regions, integrating techno-economic analysis, life cycle assessment, spatial planning, and social inclusion metrics. Through a meta-analysis of five biomass-to-energy pathways, namely combustion, gasification, anaerobic digestion, integrated biorefineries, and pelletisation, the framework reveals actionable trade-offs in cost, greenhouse gas intensity, seasonal adaptability, and community impact. A 12-point practitioner checklist and policy toolbox translate evidence into deployment-ready strategies, enabling planners and investors to align energy access with climate goals and SDGs 5 and 7. By bridging technical feasibility with real-world constraints, this study offers a scalable model for turning agricultural waste into inclusive, low-carbon rural energy hubs.

Absorber chemistry links atomic-scale properties to lifecycle outcomes, governing manufacturing, stability and circularity in silicon, CdTe and perovskite photovoltaics.

Remanufacturing of scalable mesoscopic carbon perovskite solar cells was achieved via full carbon stack recovery and reinfiltration using non-toxic solvents.

Production of silicon solar cells necessitates cleanrooms to prevent dust contamination, which can lead to defects and reduced performance. This poses challenges for scaling up manufacturing and improving accessibility for device manufacture in less developed economies as cleanrooms represent an expensive and energy intensive investment, and so it is key that the next generation of solar technology differentiates from this. Perovskite has the potential to be far more robust and resilient to defects caused by dust particles, which then impacts on the capital cost of the equipment required for manufacture. This study evaluates the effects of non-conductive dust on planar perovskite devices, testing two different device structures with efficiencies exceeding 16%, testing an active area of 0.09 cm ² . The setup simulated dust settling during the manufacturing process, expecting compromised performance in contaminated devices. Results revealed that devices with dust performed similarly to clean ones, with only limited losses in some performance metrics. High tolerance to contamination suggests that perovskite technology may remain operational under less controlled environments. These findings point toward a more accessible fabrication route reducing dependence on expensive cleanroom conditions typically required for silicon-based technologies.

Boosting efficiency in roll-to-roll deposited perovskite solar cells using PEDOT:PSS as a buffer layer for the depostion of PTAA.

Thanks to their direct band‐gap, high absorption coefficient, low manufacturing cost, and relative abundance of component materials, perovskite materials are strong candidates for the next generation of photovoltaic devices. However, their complex photochemistry and photophysics are hindering their development. This is due, in part, to the complex charge carrier recombination pathways in these materials, as well as their instability during measurements. Here, a new characterization methodology is detailed that allows the measurement, with high certainty, of the intrinsic parameters of a single perovskite sample, such as the trap state concentration and carrier mobilities. This methodology is based on a combination of time‐resolved microwave photoconductivity (TRMC) and time‐resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) spectroscopy. Compared to TRPL only, this methodology is faster, does not lead to significant changes in the perovskite properties over time, and increases the certainty of the parameters retrieved. Using this methodology, green solvent systems are studied to replace the traditional harmful solvents usually used when spin–coating perovskites. Although devices made using the greener solvents presented lower efficiencies, TRMC and TRPL measurements highlighted that the perovskites made with these solvents can achieve the same performance compared to the traditional solvent system.

Matthew L. Davies introduces the RSC Sustainability Circular Economy themed issue.

Cu ₂ ZnSnS ₄ nanoparticles as hole transport material stabilise perovskite solar cells' performance.