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γ‐Valerolactone: A Nontoxic Green Solvent for Highly Stable Printed Mesoporous Perovskite Solar Cells
Author(s) -
Worsley Carys,
Raptis Dimitrios,
Meroni Simone,
Doolin Alexander,
GarciaRodriguez Rodrigo,
Davies Matthew,
Watson Trystan
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
energy technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.91
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 2194-4296
pISSN - 2194-4288
DOI - 10.1002/ente.202100312
Subject(s) - materials science , perovskite (structure) , mesoporous material , nanotechnology , fabrication , photovoltaics , solvent , halide , energy conversion efficiency , chemical engineering , photovoltaic system , chemistry , organic chemistry , catalysis , engineering , medicine , alternative medicine , electrical engineering , optoelectronics , pathology
Mesoscopic carbon‐based lead halide perovskite solar cells (CPSCs) represent a promising architecture for commercialization in the field of perovskite photovoltaics as they are stable, potentially low cost, and use easily scaled production methods. However, the use of toxic and psychoactive solvents such as dimethylformamide (DMF) and γ‐butyrolactone (GBL) currently limits their commercial viability: DMF introduces a significant health risk and GBL is subject to legal restrictions in many countries. The development of safe and effective solvent systems is therefore an essential step toward commercial viability. Herein, γ‐valerolactone (GVL) is presented as a nontoxic, biodegradable, green alternative to GBL for CPSC fabrication. Cells fabricated with a precursor concentration of 1.1 m and annealed at 45 °C exhibit comparable performance to standard GBL devices, achieving a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 12.91% in a device of 1 cm 2 active area. Herein, it is proven that GVL is a viable alternative to GBL for CPSCs and enables research in countries where GBL is legally restricted and makes large‐scale CPSC manufacture more sustainable.