While silicon has been the main material of solar panels for decades, perovskite has been actively gaining ground over the past 15 years. Perovskite is as efficient as silicon, but allows for cheaper, lighter and more flexible panels. However, perovskites are not very stable and are rather short-lived when used in real conditions.

An important experiment

Researchers from Princeton University in the USA have finally tested a sample under laboratory conditions, which can work unaltered for up to 30 years in real conditions. In the new study, the scientists added a special interlayer, literally a few atoms thick, between the light-absorbing, charge-bearing perovskite layer to stabilize the structure.

The interlayer is made of carbon disulfide, lead, iodine and chlorine and is used to protect the structure from rapid combustion.

While similar solutions have been proposed by various teams before, the new formulation potentially allows solar cells to remain operational for more than 30 years – the first solution in its class in more than 20 years.

Group of perovskite elements in the accelerated aging chamber / Center for Photography for Energy and Environment

When will such batteries hit the market?

So far we are only talking about experiments. To assess the “survival” of the panels, the researchers used an artificial aging chamber where the elements were exposed to sunlight and temperatures between 35 and 110 °C. After estimating the data, the team concluded that the new solution could work for 30 years under standard climatic conditions.

According to the scientists, the artificial aging chamber used in the experiment will allow testing the stability of not only perovskites, but also other elements.