Key Takeaways & Executive Findings
- •• • The (ETP)2SbCl5-modified CsPbI3 solar cell achieves a PCE of 21.71% and a VOC of 1.27 V, representing a significant improvement over control devices (typically <20% PCE). This efficiency gain is critical for commercial viability, as it approaches the theoretical limit for single-junction cells and enhances competitiveness against silicon. • • The device retains 97.4% of its initial PCE after 500 h of continuous maximum power point (MPP) tracking, demonstrating exceptional operational stability. This addresses the chronic instability of perovskite solar cells, a key barrier to commercialization. • • The dual-interface and bulk co-passivation strategy reduces nonradiative recombination, as evidenced by the high VOC (1.27 V) close to the Shockley-Queisser limit for a 1.7 eV bandgap. This indicates minimized energy losses, which is essential for achieving high efficiency. • • The spatial distribution of (ETP)2SbCl5 components—ETP+ at the buried interface, Sb3+/Cl− in the bulk, and Cl− on the top surface—provides a multi-level defect passivation mechanism. This holistic approach addresses defects at all critical regions, offering a blueprint for future interface engineering in perovskite solar cells.
Abstract
Inorganic perovskite solar cells (IPSCs) have attracted significant attention due to their excellent light and thermal stability and potential in tandem applications. However, their efficiency and stability are often limited by residual lattice stress and defects at interfaces and within the bulk, causing severe nonradiative recombination. Here, we introduce a zero-dimensional supramolecular complex, (ETP)2SbCl5, as a dual-interface and bulk modifier to regulate CsPbI3 film growth. The modifier exhibits spatial segregation: ETP+ cations anchor at the buried interface, passivating defects on TiO2 and perovskite surfaces; Sb3+ and Cl− ions diffuse into the bulk during annealing, relieving residual stress; and Cl− accumulates on the top surface, passivating cation defects. Consequently, the modified CsPbI3 solar cell achieves a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 21.71% and an open-circuit voltage (VOC) of 1.27 V, retaining 97.4% of initial efficiency after 500 h of maximum power point (MPP) tracking. This work demonstrates a synergistic strategy to simultaneously address interfacial and bulk defects, advancing high-performance and stable inorganic photovoltaics.
1. Introduction
Inorganic CsPbI3 perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have emerged as promising candidates for next-generation photovoltaics due to their superior thermal and light stability compared to organic-inorganic hybrids. However, their power conversion efficiency (PCE) has lagged behind, primarily due to severe nonradiative recombination losses originating from defects at interfaces and within the bulk material. These defects, including undercoordinated ions and lattice strain, act as recombination centers, reducing open-circuit voltage (VOC) and fill factor. Conventional passivation strategies often target only one interface or the bulk, leaving other regions vulnerable, thus limiting overall performance gains.
This work introduces a zero-dimensional supramolecular complex, (ETP)2SbCl5, which uniquely decomposes into spatially-segregated functional species: ETP+ cations anchor at the buried TiO2/perovskite interface, Sb3+ and Cl− ions diffuse into the bulk to relieve lattice stress, and Cl− accumulates on the top surface to passivate cation defects. This 'three birds with one stone' approach simultaneously addresses defects at both interfaces and within the bulk, effectively suppressing nonradiative recombination and energy loss. The resulting CsPbI3 solar cell achieves a PCE of 21.71% and a VOC of 1.27 V, with excellent operational stability, demonstrating a comprehensive solution to the efficiency-stability bottleneck in inorganic PSCs.
Loading authentic research manuscript (Pages 1–5)...
Na Zhang, Ziwei Xu, Zhou Yang, Lu Zhang, Zihao Fan, Dongfang Xu, Fei Wang, Ningyi Yuan, Jianning Ding, Jian Cui, Zhike Liu (2026). Three birds with one stone: dual-interfaces and bulk co-passivation enable >21% efficiency of CsPbI3 solar cells with VOC of 1.27 V. SCIENCE CHINA Materials. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40843-025-3547-7
Research & Educational Purpose Only: The translations, structured abstracts, analytical annotations, and data reports provided by SinoGreenTechare intended exclusively for academic research, internal corporate R&D, and educational benchmarking. They do not constitute formal engineering, chemical safety, legal, or professional advice.
Copyright & Intellectual Property Notice: Original copyright of the underlying source articles and experimental data remains with the respective authors, institutions, and original publishing journals. SinoGreenTech claims intellectual property only over its proprietary translations, analytical syntheses, and AEO structured enhancements in accordance with international fair use and academic citation principles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the specific role of the (ETP)2SbCl5 modifier in passivating defects at different locations within the perovskite film?
The modifier exhibits a unique spatial distribution: ETP+ cations preferentially anchor at the buried interface, passivating defects on both TiO2 and perovskite surfaces. Sb3+ and Cl− ions diffuse into the perovskite bulk during annealing, effectively relieving residual lattice stress. Cl− anions accumulate on the top surface, passivating cation defects. This multi-site passivation collectively reduces nonradiative recombination and improves device performance.
How does the (ETP)2SbCl5 modification affect the long-term operational stability of the CsPbI3 solar cells?
The modified devices retain 97.4% of their initial efficiency after 500 hours of continuous maximum power point (MPP) tracking. This enhanced stability is attributed to the reduced defect density and relieved lattice stress, which mitigate degradation pathways such as ion migration and phase segregation.
What is the impact of the (ETP)2SbCl5 modification on the open-circuit voltage (VOC) and why is it significant?
The modification increases VOC to 1.27 V, which is close to the theoretical maximum for a 1.7 eV bandgap absorber. This high VOC indicates minimized nonradiative recombination losses, which is crucial for achieving high efficiency. The improvement is attributed to effective passivation of interfacial and bulk defects, reducing energy loss.
How does the spatial distribution of the modifier components (ETP+, Sb3+, Cl−) contribute to the overall performance?
The spatial segregation allows targeted passivation: ETP+ at the buried interface improves electron extraction and reduces interfacial recombination; Sb3+ and Cl− in the bulk relieve lattice strain and passivate bulk defects; Cl− on the top surface passivates surface cation defects. This comprehensive approach addresses all major recombination pathways, leading to higher efficiency and stability.
What are the potential scalability and cost implications of using (ETP)2SbCl5 as a modifier in industrial production?
The modifier is a zero-dimensional complex that can be easily synthesized and incorporated into existing solution-processing methods. The process does not require additional complex steps, making it potentially scalable. The improved efficiency and stability could reduce the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for perovskite solar cells, enhancing their commercial competitiveness.
Related Chinese Research & Cross-Citations
Ammonium Vanadate Cathodes in Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries: Design Strategies and Research Progress
Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) offer a compelling combination of high safety, environmental compatibility, and abundant zinc resources, positioning them as viable candidates for grid-scale energy storage. Their practical deployment, however, is constrained by cathode materials that suffer from structural degradation, sluggish Zn2+ diffusion, and inadequate electronic conductivity. Ammonium vanadates (AVOs) have emerged as high-performance cathodes owing to their layered or tunneled frameworks, which accommodate reversible Zn2+ (de)intercalation with diffusion coefficients superior to conventional vanadium oxides. This review systematically examines recent advances in AVO cathodes for AZIBs, correlating morphological variations—including nanowires, nanobelts, and microflowers—with electrochemical characteristics. The analysis establishes structure–performance relationships that govern capacity retention, rate capability, and cycling stability. Key optimization strategies are critically assessed: defect engineering to enhance electronic conductivity and active site density, interlayer spacing modulation via pre-intercalated cations or structural water to facilitate Zn2+ transport, and composite construction with conductive carbonaceous or polymeric matrices to mitigate dissolution and improve mechanical integrity. Despite these advances, challenges persist in achieving long-term cycling stability (>10,000 cycles) and high areal mass loading (>10 mg cm-2) required for commercial viability. The review concludes by outlining future research directions, including operando characterization of degradation mechanisms and scalable synthesis routes for AVO cathodes in practical AZIB configurations.
Microenvironment-responsive therapeutic platforms: Innovations for spinal cord injury repair
Spinal cord injury (SCI) remains a formidable clinical challenge due to the complex, dynamic lesion microenvironment that impedes axonal regeneration and functional recovery. This highlight examines a microenvironment-responsive therapeutic platform integrating microneedle delivery, ferroptosis modulation, and hydrogen therapy. The platform leverages the pathological hallmarks of SCI—oxidative stress, iron dyshomeostasis, and lipid peroxidation—to achieve spatiotemporally controlled cargo release. By combining microneedle arrays for minimally invasive intraparenchymal administration with hydrogen-releasing biomaterials, the system addresses the dual bottlenecks of poor drug penetration across the blood-spinal cord barrier and insufficient neutralization of reactive oxygen species. Ferroptosis inhibition is achieved through iron chelation and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) stabilization, while hydrogen gas scavenges hydroxyl radicals and peroxynitrite. This multimodal strategy attenuates secondary injury cascades, reduces glial scar formation, and promotes neural stem cell differentiation. The work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82574518) and the Talent Cultivation Project of Paring Academicians with Young Talents in higher education institutions in Zhejiang. The authors declare no conflict of interest. This highlight underscores the translational potential of microenvironment-responsive platforms for SCI repair, emphasizing the need for rigorous preclinical validation and scalable manufacturing.
Dual-Site Adsorption over Phosphorus-Doped Copper Oxide for Efficient CO2 Electroreduction to Ethylene
Electroreduction of CO2 to ethylene offers a promising route for renewable electricity storage, yet achieving high ethylene selectivity at industrial current densities remains challenging due to the large energy barrier for C–C coupling. Here, we report a “MOF-assisted in situ doping” strategy to introduce the oxophilic nonmetal phosphorus (P) into the copper oxide (CuO) lattice, constructing a localized Cu–P dual-site adsorption configuration for the key *OCCHO intermediate. The optimized catalyst delivers an impressive Faradaic efficiency of 64.6% for ethylene with a partial current density of 646 mA cm-2. Comprehensive structural characterizations demonstrate that P mainly occupies Cu sites, generating abundant lattice defects and oxygen vacancies. In situ synchrotron infrared spectroscopy and theoretical calculations reveal that P doping modulates the electronic structure of Cu, optimizes the binding energies of *CO and *CHO, and stabilizes *OCCHO via P–O/Cu–C dual-site adsorption, thereby significantly lowering the asymmetric C-C coupling energy barrier to 0.74 eV. This work highlights a dual-site microenvironment regulation strategy for CO2-to-ethylene electroreduction.
Hydrophilic Single-Atom Interface Unlocks Low-Potential CO Removal on Pt in PEMFCs
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) fed with reformate hydrogen suffer severe anode poisoning by trace CO, necessitating high CO electrooxidation potentials that degrade performance and durability. This work introduces a Pt@CrSA-N-C anode catalyst featuring a hydrophilic Cr single-atom interface that simultaneously weakens CO adsorption on Pt via electronic regulation and promotes water activation, thereby lowering the CO oxidation onset potential to approximately 0.13 V vs. RHE. The onset potential was determined by two independent methods: the first potential at which the background-corrected current exceeds 0 mA cm-2 during CO oxidation reaction tests in a three-electrode system, and the potential at which the forward scan current exceeds the N2 background current in CO-stripping voltammetry. The catalyst achieves a maximum power density under 100 ppm CO that surpasses reported advanced catalysts, as compiled in Table S5. Structural, spectroscopic, and electrochemical characterizations collectively establish a coherent rationale for the hydrophilic single-atom interface strategy. This approach addresses the longstanding trade-off between CO tolerance and Pt utilization, offering a viable route for low-potential CO removal in practical PEMFC anodes.
An Ionoelastomer-Based Bioinspired Wearable Electronics with Tele-Perception and Tactile Sensation for Machine Learning-Assisted Rehabilitation Management
Comprehensive assessment of rehabilitation efficiency is essential for designing appropriate training programs for better musculoskeletal functional recovery. Existing contact-receptor-dependent rehabilitation assessment systems mostly focus on assessing the restoration of muscle function by evaluating grip strength or joint flexion angle; however, parameters reflecting neuromuscular synergistic function are always overlooked. Herein, we develop an ionoelastomer-based soft artificial electroreceptor (SAER) that integrates tele-perception and tactile sensation to track the rehabilitation process, collecting signals related to approaching speed and grip strength sequentially. The SAER uses polyurethane ionoelastomer incorporated with quasi-solid conductive salt as the electric field receptor, and is integrated on a rehabilitation-training ball after assembly to establish an untethered detection device; this enables the remote capture of hand approaching parameter within a 9 cm range, followed by the quantification of grip strength when contacting and grasping. Furthermore, a data-driven assessment system is established by integrating machine learning, which accurately classifies rehabilitation efficiency into six levels; it supports for rehabilitation evaluation and training programs adjustment. Overall, the SAER-based rehabilitation management system establishes a paradigm that synergistically evaluating parameters corresponding to neuromuscular functional restoration and holds strong potential for home-based active rehabilitation for minimizing dependence on frequent clinical supervision.
Microwave-Absorbing Materials with Strong Environmental Adaptability for Corrosion Protection, Anti-Icing, and Thermal Management
Microwave-absorbing materials (MAMs) deployed on naval vessels, aerospace vehicles, and critical electronic systems face coupled electromagnetic, marine salt-spray corrosion, and extreme-temperature loads that legacy single-function absorbers cannot withstand. This review consolidates progress on three environmentally adaptive MAM classes: corrosion-protective, anti-icing, and thermal-management absorbers. The electromagnetic loss and impedance-matching fundamentals are first established, then the synergistic mechanisms, design strategies, and characterization protocols for each class are examined against representative material systems and their measured performance. The analysis identifies a shared design logic—multiscale hierarchical architecture, interfacial polarization engineering, and multifunctional phase integration—while distinguishing the divergent protection mechanisms: barrier and passivation effects for corrosion, surface-energy and latent-heat regulation for anti-icing, and phonon–electron transport decoupling for thermal management. Persistent bottlenecks include the trade-off between impedance matching and protective-layer density, the absence of standardized coupled-field test protocols, and the scarcity of long-term salt-spray and thermal-cycling durability data. Future directions are delineated: intelligent self-adaptive absorbers, multiphysics-coupled simulation frameworks, and environmentally benign multifunctional integration. The review provides a theoretical and technical basis for the design, construction, and engineering scale-up of next-generation high-performance absorbers for aerospace, electronic, and marine equipment.