Hydrophobic π-conjugated organic small molecule as a multi-functional interface material enables efficient and stable perovskite solar cells.

A novel multi-functional interface material (TAAPyr) is first developed as a defect passivation layer and a protect layer against moisture for PSCs application. Consequently, the efficiency of TAAPyr-based device can increase form 20.37% to 22.45%, with an unencapsulated device retaining 90% of its initial efficiency after storage for 600h at ∼65% humidity. [Display omitted] • A hydrophobic multi-functional interface material is developed for PSCs application. • TAAPyr-treated PSCs shows an improvement in efficiency from 20.37% to 22.45%. • Device long-term stability has greatly been enhanced. Surface treatment of perovskite films with interface materials is an effective strategy to resolve trap-mediated nonradiative recombination toward high efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, interface materials for multi-functional treatment have been rarely investigated in PSCs. In this work, a novel pyrene-based organic material (TAAPyr) is first introduced as a defect passivation layer and a protect layer against moisture for PSCs application. With the TAAPyr interfacial modification, both perovskite surface defects and nonradiative recombination are effectively decreased as well as the carrier transport in device is also enhanced, As a consequence, the best power conversion efficiencies (PCE) up to 22.45% for TAAPyr-based device was obtained, clearly outperforming the control one (20.37%). Moreover, it was found that the π-conjugated TAAPyr can promote intermolecular face-to-face stacking on the surface perovskite film, which is favorable to making the perovskite surface more hydrophobic and consequently enhance PSCs long-term stability. The un-encapsulated PSCs can retain 92% of the initial PCE after storage for 600 h at ∼65% RH, in comparison with 64% efficiency retention of the device without TAAPyr under the same conditions. This work presents a new strategy to enhance the efficiency and stability of PSCs by multi-functional π–conjugated passivator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]