Ningyi Yuan

The hole transport layer (HTL) plays a pivotal role in the performance of inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs), especially in carrier transport, anchoring to the substrate as a buried interface, and defect passivation. Novel HTLs that simultaneously achieve indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate anchoring, passivation of buried perovskite defects, and favorable interfacial energy alignment are seldom addressed. In this work, we designed a novel HTL (denoted as TPCOOH), which is functionalized with dicarboxylic acid groups in the central phenyl ring, which can anchor onto ITO substrates and passivate the top perovskite, as well as coupling with methylthio-substituted triphenylamine and thiophene units to generate suitable energy alignment and transfer the hole, realizing both passivation and anchoring effects. TPHex, as a control, had dihexyl substitution in the center. Inverted PSC devices based on TPCOOH and TPHex as hole transport layers (0.1 cm2) achieved power conversion efficiencies of 24.68% and 23.72%, respectively. The improved efficiency of TPCOOH-based devices is attributed to suppressed nonradiative recombination, rapid interfacial charge transfer, and minimal energy loss due to well-matched energy levels. These improvements are ascribed to the carboxyl groups in TPCOOH, which anchor to ITO, thus ensuring better film coverage and improved charge transport, while the passivation functionality simultaneously mitigates perovskite defects. Notably, the TPCOOH and TPHex devices retain 75% and 65% of their initial power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) after 1200 h of thermal aging at 65 ± 5 °C in a nitrogen atmosphere.

Additive engineering has propelled lab‐scale perovskite solar cell efficiencies exceeding 27%, yet translating these achievements to industrial manufacturing requires multifunctional additives that simultaneously optimize crystallization, passivate defects, enhance mechanical robustness, and maintain compatibility with high‐throughput coating processes. Here, we introduce glutaramide (GTA) as an all‐in‐one bridging coordination additive that addresses these challenges. Density functional theory calculations reveal that GTA forms a thermodynamically favored bidentate bridging coordination between adjacent [PbI ₆ ] ⁴⁻ octahedra. This unique configuration retards crystallization kinetics during annealing, yielding micron‐scale grains with reduced defect density. Upon annealing, GTA spontaneously migrates to the film surface, where it passivates undercoordinated Pb ²⁺ and halide ions, toughens perovskite lattice, relieves residual stress, and increases hydrophobicity. Crucially, GTA enhances ink wettability, enabling pinhole‐free, blade‐coated large‐area films. Small‐area rigid and flexible cells achieve champion efficiencies of 26.65% and 25.22%, respectively. Remarkably, blade‐coated 22.95 cm ² modules deliver efficiencies of 24.61% (rigid) and 22.57% (flexible), retaining up to 99.6% of small‐area performance. Encapsulated target devices achieve a T ₉₀ lifetime of 1020 h under continuous 1‐sun tracking, nearly doubling the control (520 h), while flexible devices demonstrate superior bending endurance. This work establishes that a single bridging additive can synergistically balance efficiency, stability, and scalability for commercial perovskite photovoltaics.

Conventional self‐assembled monolayers (SAMs) are conformationally rigid. They cannot buffer interfacial strain during rapid perovskite crystallization, limiting both film quality and device stability. We introduce a conformational engineering strategy using 2‐benzhydrylidene‐succinic acid (BSA), a rigid diphenylmethylene anchor with flexible succinic acid chains to create an elastic buried interface. Atomic simulations show BSA acts as a compressible buffer, delaying stress accumulation by ∼6 Å under displacement. This dynamic strain dissipation improves heterojunction contact and enhances hole extraction and transport. BSA‐modified p‐i‐n devices reach 26.89% (0.045 cm ² , certified 26.52%). Large‐area modules (22.95 cm ² ) deliver 24.30% (certified 23.95%), which is among the highest certified values for this area. The devices retain 90% of initial efficiency after 316 h of diurnal cycling and 88% after 300 extreme transient thermal shock cycles from ‐20 °C to 100 °C. This conformational design integrates mechanical compliance with electronic functionality in scalable perovskite photovoltaics.

Antimony selenide (Sb ₂ Se ₃ ) solar cells have attracted considerable attention owing to their excellent optoelectronic properties. However, their efficiency remains severely limited by non‐radiative recombination. To address this issue, previous studies have mainly focused on crystal orientation, defect passivation, and interfacial energy‐level alignment. Nevertheless, the role of strain in regulating thin‐film growth and carrier dynamics has long been overlooked. Here, a heterojunction engineering strategy based on Co ²⁺ ‐doped CdS buffer layers is proposed to regulate lattice strain through tailoring the CdS lattice parameters. Co ²⁺ is found to partially substitute for Cd ²⁺ sites in the CdS lattice. Owing to its smaller ionic radius, Co ²⁺ incorporation induces CdS lattice contraction, thereby reducing the lattice mismatch at the CdS/Sb ₂ Se ₃ interface, markedly promoting strain relaxation, and improving the growth quality of Sb ₂ Se ₃ films. Meanwhile, the partial back‐diffusion of Co ²⁺ into the Sb ₂ Se ₃ absorber modulates its crystallization process, promotes preferred orientation, and suppresses defect formation. Moreover, density functional theory calculations combined with experimental characterizations reveal that Co ²⁺ incorporation strengthens interfacial electronic coupling and facilitates charge transfer across the heterojunction. Benefiting from the synergistic effects, the optimized device delivers a champion power conversion efficiency of 9.44%, corresponding to a 16.4% enhancement over the control device.

The antisolvent process remains the dominant fabrication route for high‐efficiency perovskite solar cells (PSCs), but its scalability is constrained by intrinsic mass transfer characteristics and the requirements of green manufacturing. To address these challenges, we develop a closed‐loop slit‐flushing antisolvent (SFA) strategy that offers ambient‐air processability, antisolvent recyclability, and a three‐dimensional controllable mass transfer regime. By creating a pressure‐driven forced flow within a parallel‐plate slit, we transform the mass transfer mechanism from a purely vertical diffusion‐dominated regime of static bathing to a synergistic combination of horizontal forced convection and vertical diffusion, which ensures uniform and controllable nucleation over large‐area films. With an optimized slit height of 0.5 mm, the SFA method yields highly uniform, compact, and pinhole‐free perovskite films in ambient air on a 100 × 100 mm substrate, with reduced defect density and a homogenized distribution. Small‐area PSCs achieve a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 24.59%, while the champion large‐area flexible module with an aperture area of 61.2 cm ² delivers a laboratory PCE of 18.69% and a certified PCE of 17.35%. This study presents a straightforward, low‐cost, and practical solution to the scaling bottleneck of antisolvent methods, enabling the fabrication of efficient and stable large‐area perovskite photovoltaics.

The solution‐based fabrication of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) typically relies on high‐purity materials, the cost of which limits commercial scalability. Here, we report an efficient strategy for directly synthesizing FAPbI ₃ ‐based perovskite microcrystals (MCs) from industrial‐grade precursors using formic acid (HCOOH) as a multifunctional additive and antisolvent in a synergistic process combining inverse temperature crystallization (ITC) and antisolvent‐assisted precipitation. In situ grazing‐incidence wide‐angle X‐ray scattering (GIWAXS) analysis reveals that formate anions (HCOO ⁻ ) coordinate with Pb ²⁺ to regulate crystallization, passivate structural defects, and promote the direct formation of α‐FAPbI ₃ . An optimal HCOOH concentration (40%–60% v/v) was identified, achieving a high microcrystalline yield of 92.83% and effectively suppressing the formation of δ‐FAPbI ₃ . However, concentrations exceeding this range (>80% v/v) disrupt the precursor stoichiometry, leading to PbI ₂ impurity segregation. Thin films fabricated using the optimized microcrystals exhibited improved morphological uniformity, enhanced crystallinity, reduced nonradiative recombination losses, and extended charge carrier lifetimes. As a result, inverted‐structure PSCs based on these MCs achieve a champion power conversion efficiency of 25.24% (0.07 cm ² ). This work presents a cost‐effective and scalable route for producing high‐quality perovskite materials and provides mechanistic insights into the dual functionality of HCOOH, offering valuable guidance for the advancement of low‐cost, high‐performance perovskite photovoltaic technologies.

As one of the latest additions to two dimensional (2D) family, transition metal carbides, carbonitrides and nitrides (MXenes) suffer from sluggish ion transport kinetics and insufficient active site utilization, resulted from self-restacking for application in electrochemical energy storage. Construction of in-plane pores will restrain restacking and avoid redundant macropores, however, it remains an obstacle due to MXenes’ unique etching preparation process and vulnerable resistance to oxidation. Herein, by taking advantage of the confined interlayer spaces of Ti3C2Tx MXenes, combining with rapid annealing process, a novel thermal shock induced pore engineering strategy was proposed to successfully construct in-plane mesoporous MXene nanosheets, simultaneously minimizing the oxidation and preserving their hydrophilicity. Consequently, the optimized porous electrode structures significantly provide substantial redox-active sites and accelerate ion transportation, leading to a remarkable specific capacitance (494.8 F g-1 at 5 mV s–1), an unparalleled rate capability (91.5% capacitance retention with a low mass loading, 59.7% with a high mass loading of 7.89 mg cm-2 at 2 000 mV s-1) and robust cycling stability. This work sheds new light on the construction of in-plane pores in MXenes and provides an exciting opportunity for boosting their practical application for energy storage.

Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) are a promising next-generation energy storage option due to their excellent theoretical energy density. Nevertheless, issues such as lithium dendrite growth and SEI layer instability hinder their commercialization. This study introduced LPSP-PDMS, a polyphosphosiloxane polysulfide polymer, as an electrolyte additive to enhance the lithium metal anode interfaces. The in situ interfacial reaction triggers the formation of a hybrid SEI, composed of inorganic substances such as lithium chloride (LiCl) and Li-Si-O, as well as methyl-containing organic species. This structure acts as a rigid barrier and efficient ion conductor, enabling dendrite-free lithium deposition. Among the series of materials, Li₃PS_8.5-PDMS exhibits excellent properties. A lithium symmetrical cell with it has 1000 h cycle stability at 1 mA cm^-2 with only 23 mV overpotential. A lithium-sulfur full cell also has better cycling and rate capacity, retaining 710.5 mA h g^-1 following 300 cycles at 1 C. This work demonstrates an effective method for designing functional electrolyte additives toward high-performance and safe LSBs.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are regarded as a representative next-generation energy storage technology due to their high energy density, low cost, and environmental friendliness. Nevertheless, their widespread application is hindered by challenges such as the insulating nature of sulfur and Li₂S, the larger volume expansion during cycling, and the serious side effects caused by the soluble lithium polysulfide (LiPSs), all of which collectively lead to severe capacity decay and poor cycling stability. Furthermore, the high flammability of sulfur is another critical safety concern, which has hindered its further application. To effectively address these limitations, this study designed and developed a flame-retardant sulfur cathode (CS@Al/APP) by encapsulating carbon-sulfur composites with aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)₃) and employing ammonium polyphosphate (APP) as a binder to enhance electrode stability and flame retardancy. Experimental results demonstrate that Al(OH)₃ and APP synergistically improve the flame resistance by releasing inert gases and forming a protective char layer. Additionally, they enhance sulfur redox kinetics by efficiently trapping LiPSs. As a result, the CS@Al/APP cathode exhibits exceptional electrochemical stability, maintaining a reversible capacity of 1025.04 mAh g^-1 after 100 cycles at 0.1C and delivering a discharge capacity of 744.2 mAh g^-1 after 500 cycles at 1C. This study provides a feasible technical pathway for achieving lithium-sulfur batteries with high safety and high energy density.