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Abstract Surface defects in semiconducting materials, though they have been widely studied, remain a prominent source of loss in optoelectronic devices; here we sought a new angle of approach, looking into the dynamic roles played by surface defects under atmospheric stressors and their chemical passivants in the lifetime of optoelectronic materials. We find that surface defects possess properties distinct from those of bulk defects. ab initio molecular dynamics simulations reveal a previously overlooked reversible degradation mechanism mediated by hydrogen vacancies. We find that dynamic surface adsorption affinity (DAA) relative to surface treatment ligands is a surrogate for passivation efficacy, a more strongly-correlated feature than is the static binding strength emphasized in prior reports. This guides us to design targeted passivator ligands with high molecular polarity: for example, 4-aminobutylphosphonic acid exhibits strong DAA and provides defect passivation applicable to a range of perovskite compositions, including suppressed hydrogen vacancy formation, enhanced photovoltaic performances and operational stability in perovskite solar cells.

Since 1998, the Au–O–Ti4+ sites of Au/Ti-based catalysts have been widely accepted as the active sites for propene epoxidation with H2 and O2 at a relatively high temperature, although they are limited by poor H2 efficiency. Herein, we demonstrate a novel Au–O–Ti3+ active site aiming at low-temperature propene epoxidation. Notably, this active site results in a sharp shift in the optimum temperature, from 200 to 138 °C, and allows the catalyst to maintain an unprecedented H2 efficiency of 43.6%, a high propylene oxide (PO) selectivity of 90.7%, and a stability of over 100 h. The Au–O–coordinatively unsaturated Ti3+ active site is quantitatively constructed by tuning the amount of Si–OH and Bu3NH+ in post-treated silicalite-1 seeds. Through operando ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy, the dynamic evolution of the Ti–OOH intermediate was investigated. It was found that the Ti–OOH generation rate is higher on Au–O–Ti3+ than on conventional Au–O–Ti4+ sites. Moreover, ammonia temperature-programmed desorption (NH3-TPD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterizations, together with density-functional theory (DFT) calculations, demonstrated that the coordinatively unsaturated Ti3+ sites promote electron transfer between Au and Ti3+, thereby enhancing the O2 adsorption ability of the catalyst and promoting the in situ formation of H2O2 and the Ti–OOH intermediate, even at a low temperature. The insights and methodology reported here not only shed new light on maximizing H2 efficiency over a coordinatively unsaturated Ti3+ structure of titanium silicate-1 but also open up new opportunities for industrial direct gas-phase propene epoxidation in a low temperature range.

Abstract Tin (Sn)‐containing perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have gained significant attention in the field of perovskite optoelectronics due to lower toxicity than their lead‐based counterparts and their potential for tandem applications. However, the lack of stability is a major concern that hampers their development. To achieve the long‐term stability of Sn‐containing PSCs, it is crucial to have a clear and comprehensive understanding of the degradation mechanisms of Sn‐containing perovskites and develop mitigation strategies. This review provides a compendious overview of degradation pathways observed in Sn‐containing perovskites, attributing to intrinsic factors related to the materials themselves and environmental factors such as light, heat, moisture, oxygen, and their combined effects. The impact of interface and electrode materials on the stability of Sn‐containing PSCs is also discussed. Additionally, various strategies to mitigate the instability issue of Sn‐containing PSCs are summarized. Lastly, the challenges and prospects for achieving durable Sn‐containing PSCs are presented.

Propane catalytic oxidation is an important industrial chemical process. However, poor activity is frequently observed for stable C–H bonds, especially for non-noble catalysts in low temperature. Herein, we reported a controlled synthesis of catalyst Co3O4@CeO2–IE via inverse loading and proposed a strategy of oxygen vacancy for its high catalytic oxidation activity, achieving better performance than traditional supported catalyst Co3O4/CeO2–IM, i.e., the T50 (temperature at 50% propane conversion) of 217 °C vs. 235 °C and T90 (temperature at 90% propane conversion) of 268 °C vs. 348 °C at the propane space velocity of 60,000 mL g−1 h−1. Further investigations indicate that there are more enriched oxygen vacancies in Co3O4@CeO2–IE due to the unique preparation method. This work provides an element doping strategy to effectively boost the propane catalytic oxidation performance as well as a bright outlook for efficient environmental catalysts.

The advocacy of green chemical industry has led to the development of highly efficient catalysts for direct gas-phase propene epoxidation with green, sustainable and simple essence. The S-1/TS-1@dendritic-SiO2 material with three-layer core–shell structure was developed and used as the support for Au catalysts, which showed simultaneously fantastic PO formation rate, PO selectivity and stability (over 100 h) for propene epoxidation with H2 and O2. It is found that silicalite-1 (S-1) core and the middle thin layer of TS-1 offer great mass transfer ability, which could be responsible for the excellent stability. The designed dendritic SiO2 shell covers part of the acid sites on the external surface of TS-1, inhibiting the side reactions and improving the PO selectivity. Furthermore, three kinds of SiO2 shell morphologies (i.e., dendritic, net, mesoporous shell) were designed, and relationship between shell morphology and catalytic performance was elucidated. The results in this paper harbour tremendous guiding significance for the design of highly efficient epoxidation catalysts.

Engineering unique electronic structure of catalyst to boost catalytic performance is of prime scientific and industrial importance. Herein, the identification of intrinsic electronic sensitivity for direct propene epoxidation was first achieved over highly stable Au/wormhole-like TS-1 catalyst. Results show that the electron transfer of Au species can be regulated by manipulating the dynamic evolutions and contents of Au valence states, thus resulting in different catalytic performance in 100 h time-on-stream. By DFT calculations, kinetic analysis and multi-characterizations, it is found that the Au0 species with higher electronic population can easily transfer more electrons to activate surface O2 compared with Au1+ and Au3+ species. Moreover, there is a positive correlation between Au0 content and activity. Based on this correlation, a facile strategy is further proposed to boost Au0 percentage, resulting in the reported highest PO formation rate without adding promoters. This work harbors tremendous guiding significance to the design of highly efficient Au/Ti-containing catalyst for propene epoxidation with H2 and O2.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) represent one of the most promising emerging photovoltaic technologies due to their high power conversion efficiency. However, despite the huge progress made not only in terms of the efficiency achieved, but also fundamental understanding of the relevant physics of the devices and issues which affect their efficiency and stability, there are still unresolved problems and obstacles on the path toward commercialization of this promising technology. In this roadmap, we aim to provide a concise and up to date summary of outstanding issues and challenges, and the progress made toward addressing these issues. While the format of this article is not meant to be a comprehensive review of the topic, it provides a collection of the viewpoints of the experts in the field, which covers a broad range of topics related to PSC commercialization, including those relevant for manufacturing (scaling up, different types of devices), operation and stability (various factors), and environmental issues (in particular the use of lead). We hope that the article will provide a useful resource for researchers in the field and that it will facilitate discussions and move forward toward addressing the outstanding challenges in this fast-developing field.

Strong terahertz (THz) emission from the methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) perovskite semiconductors has been observed following above-bandgap photoexcitation, yet local THz responses of crystalline microstructures are absent. We implement laser THz emission microscope (LTEM), yet-to-be applied to the perovskite semiconductors, as a novel and complementary tool to evaluate the electronic and grain heterogeneity of MAPbI3 thin films. Two MAPbI3 samples with different grain sizes are studied. Using this approach, we show that the one with a larger grain size gives more uniform THz radiation. More significant spatial THz intensity fluctuation is observed for the sample with a smaller grain size.

We use cryogenic spatial–temporal photoluminescence (PL) imaging measurements down to 10 K and with short-wavelength, 405 nm laser excitation to study surface charge generation, trapping, and recombination at single bright and dark grains as well as their boundaries in model methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) polycrystalline thin films. These salient conditions are shown to be critical for identifying both the detrimental and cooperative roles of grain microstructures where the dark grains serve as the PL quenching center, while the grain boundaries are largely benign and may promote electron–hole separation.

Summary: A promising technology for the future of solar energy is the highly efficient bifacial photovoltaic (PV) cell using perovskite as an absorbing layer. Here we report the environmental impact per energy generated from bifacial perovskite PV cells in single- and multi-junction configurations. To determine the environmental performance of the energy provided from bifacial perovskites and compare it with the analogous monofacial structures, we develop a realistic energy yield (EY) model. According to our model, the studied bifacial structures show between 9% and 26% EY increase compared with monofacial cells among all surfaces and locations studied. For the environmental impact analysis, we use normalized cradle-to-end-of-use impact from single-junction crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells as a reference point. Our results show that there are opportunities for all studied bifacial perovskite PV structures to become more environmentally friendly than c-Si cells.

Abstract Up to now, multijunction cell design is the only successful way demonstrated to overcome the Shockley–Quiesser limit for single solar cells. Perovskite materials have been attracting ever‐increasing attention owing to their large absorption coefficient, tunable bandgap, low cost, and easy fabrication process. With their rapidly increased power conversion efficiency, organic–inorganic metal halide perovskite‐based solar cells have demonstrated themselves as the most promising candidates for next‐generation photovoltaic applications. In fact, it is a dream come true for researchers to finally find a perfect top‐cell candidate in tandem device design in commercially developed solar cells like single‐crystalline silicon and CIGS cells used as the bottom component cells. Here, the recent progress of multijunction solar cells is reviewed, including perovskite/silicon, perovskite/CIGS, perovskite/perovskite, and perovskite/polymer multijunction cells. In addition, some perspectives on using these solar cells in emerging markets such as in portable devices, Internet of Things, etc., as well as an outlook for perovskite‐based multijunction solar cells are discussed.

Emerging photovoltaic (PV) technologies have a potential to address the shortcomings of today’s energy market which heavily depends on the use of fossil fuels for electricity generation. We created inventories that offer insights into the environmental impacts and cost of all the materials used in emerging PV technologies, including perovskites, polymers, Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS), carbon nanotubes (CNT), and quantum dots. The results show that the CO2 emissions associated with the absorber layers are much less than the CO2 emissions associated with the contact and charge selective layers. The CdS (charge selective layer) and ITO (contact layer) have the highest environmental impacts compared to Al2O3, CuI, CuSCN, MoO3, NiO, poly (3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl (P3HT)), phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM), poly polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS), SnO2, spiro-OMeTAD, and TiO2 (charge selective layers) and Al, Ag, Cu, FTO, Mo, ZnO:In, and ZnO/ZnO:Al (contact layers). The cost assessments show that the organic materials, such as polymer absorbers, CNT, P3HT and spiro-OMeTAD, are the most expensive materials. Inorganic materials would be more preferable to lower the cost of solar cells. All the remaining materials have a potential to be used in the commercial PV market. Finally, we analyzed the cost of PV materials based on their material intensity and CO2 emissions, and concluded that the perovskite absorber will be the most eco-efficient material that has the lowest cost and CO2 emissions.

We have developed a laser beam induced current imaging tool for photovoltaic devices and modules that utilizes diode pumped Q-switched lasers. Power densities on the order of one sun (100 mW/cm2) can be produced in a ~40 μm spot size by operating the lasers at low diode current and high repetition rate. Using galvanostatically controlled mirrors in an overhead configuration and high speed data acquisition, large areas can be scanned in short times. As the beam is rastered, focus is maintained on a flat plane with an electronically controlled lens that is positioned in a coordinated fashion with the movements of the mirrors. The system can also be used in a scribing mode by increasing the diode current and decreasing the repetition rate. In either mode, the instrument can accommodate samples ranging in size from laboratory scale (few cm2) to full modules (1 m2). Customized LabVIEW programs were developed to control the components and acquire, display, and manipulate the data in imaging mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin film photovoltaic (PV)devices and modules prepared by commercial processes can be severely compromised by through-device low resistance electrical pathways. The defects can be due to thin or missing semiconductor material, metal diffusion along grain boundaries, or areas containing diodes with low turn-on potentials. We report the use of single wall carbon nanotube(SWCNT) layers to enable both protection against these defects and back contact formation for CdTePVdevices. Samples prepared with a SWCNT back contact exhibited good efficiency and did not require shunt protection, while devices prepared without shunt protection using a standard metal back contact performed poorly. We describe the mechanism by which the SWCNT layer functions. In addition to avoiding the need for shunt protection by other means, the SWCNTfilm also provides a route to higher short circuit currents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]