Scientists at Aalto University in Finland have demonstrated a one-step encapsulant method for perovskite solar cells that provides shielding from oxygen and moisture-induced degradation and a significant relative improvement in efficiency.
Maryam Mousavi among the 10 top young scientists from Finland accepted to the Global Young Scientists Summit 2024 in Singapore
Technology Academy Finland had the honor of nominating candidates from Finland for the Global Young Scientists Summit 2024 in Singapore. Ten top young scientists from Finnish universities and research centers will participate in this prestigious conference in January.
Full title of the project: Material solutions towards nanostructured solution-processable perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells (STEIN) (2025-2026)
STEIN aims to bring all relevant players together in a joint project that directly addresses two of the PREIN roadmap goals: i) “Tandem perovskite solar cells with nanostructure to reduce reflective losses”, ii) “Photovoltaic (PV) module made from biodegradable materials”, with indirect exploitable results enabling iii) “Fully solution processed perovskite photovoltaics (PV) with over 10% power conversion efficiency (PCE)” and iv) “Roll-to-Roll (R2R) processed flexible perovskite photovoltaics (PV)”.
1. Hybrid Solar Cells (HSC), Tampere University (TAU);
2. Printed Materials Systems, VTT Technical Research Center;
3. Multifunctional Materials Design (CHEM) & Electron Physics Group (ELEC), Aalto University.
The global Internet of Things (IoT) market is rapidly growing, with trillion new smart sensors being installed around the world by 2025. The most sensible choice for sustainable and energy-efficient IoT is to develop printable, light-weight, flexible, and low-cost IoT nodes, which do not contain toxic batteries, but instead are self-powered by the readily available ambient light, harvested by an indoor photovoltaic (IPV) technology. Among IPVs, perovskite-based devices have recently reached an outstanding indoor power conversion efficiency of 40.1%. Yet, beyond the attractive figures of merit, several open issues need still to be solved before commercialization. One main issue relates to the IPV materials and particularly the light absorber, i.e., perovskite. As traditional perovskites rely on toxic lead, harmful for the environment and leading to significant problem for IoT device recycling, there is a need to develop IPVs based on lead-free perovskite-inspired materials (PIMs) that can replicate the excellent optoelectronic properties of their toxic counterparts while being intrinsically stable (another major challenge for traditional Pb-perovskites).
The exciting outcomes achieved in the previous PREIN 2022 project represent the starting point of the PINT research. The open questions to be addressed with the two classes of newly developed PIMs (CsMAFA-Sb and CABI) are the modest operational stability of IPVs and the poor sustainability of the PIMs processing. PINT project will contribute to these ambitious aims by targeting the following objectives (Os):
O1: Develop a new family of lead-free perovskite-inspired materials (PIMs), derived from CsMAFA-Sb and CABI, guided by Density Functional Theory (DFT) molecular modeling, with respect to the phase stability, bandgap, crystal structure, and defects.
O2: Establish an ad-hoc processing method (solvent, annealing conditions, etc.) for the new PIM compositions that optimizes the film morphology and controls the crystallization for maximized charge transport ability.
O3: Achieve sustainable low-cost manufacturing of flexible PIM-based IPVs. Aalto team will develop flexible substrates based on biowaste-based lignocellulosics, hence with a lower footprint than typically used Indium Tin Oxide (ITO)/ Fluorine-doped Tin Oxide (FTO) substrates.
O4: Investigate the stability of IPVs in operando conditions.
In this project, we will for the first time: (i) explore chalcogenide-PIMs, (ii) look at PIM stability through advanced accelerated aging tests, and (iii) focus on the sustainability of the materials, solvents, and substrates constituting the IPVs.
PROJECT PARTNERS:
1. Hybrid Solar Cells (HSC), Tampere University (TAU);
2. Solar Cell Technologies, VTT Technical Research Center;
3. Multifunctional Materials Design, Aalto University;
4. Molecular Modeling Research Group, The University of Eastern Finland (UEF).
The Materials for Sustainable Development Conference (MATSUS25) took place from the 3rd to the 7th of March 2025, at the Meliá Sevilla Hotel, Seville, Spain.
7th International Conference on Perovskite Solar Cells and Optoelectronics (PSCO24) was held in Perugia, IT from 16th September to 19th September 2024.
Returning for its 12th iteration, the Global Young Scientists Summit (GYSS), organised by the National Research Foundation (NRF) took place from January 8 to 12 at the National University of Singapore.
6th International Conference on Perovskite Solar Cells and Optoelectronics (PSCO23) was held in Oxford, UK from 18th September to 20th September 2023.
Accountable project leader: Prof. Jaana Vapaavuori (jaana.vapaavuori@aalto.fi)
Project researchers:
Maryam Mousavi, Doctoral Candidate (maryam.mousavi@aalto.fi)
Divya Shaju, Doctoral Candidate (divya.shaju@aalto.fi)
Project page on the Research Aalto portal:
Group led by Professor Jaana Vapaavuori
PREIN Flagship is a Photonics Research and Innovation platform focusing on
light-based solutions from scientific excellence to industrial and societal impact.
Materials Bioeconomy FinnCERES, Finnish Center for Artificial Intelligence FCAI and the platform for photonics research PREIN have received the Academy of Finland’s funding for second flagship term
