Triple-junction solar cells with cyanate in ultrawide bandgap perovskites. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38438067/)

These scientists found a new way to make solar cells more efficient by using a special material called perovskite. Perovskite is a type of material that can absorb sunlight and convert it into electricity. The scientists discovered that by adding a new substance called cyanate into the perovskite, they could make it even better at capturing sunlight.

They used powerful microscopes and X-ray machines to see how the cyanate mixed into the perovskite. They found that the cyanate caused the perovskite to change its shape slightly, which helped it work more efficiently. This change also reduced the chances of any defects forming in the material.

By making these improvements, the scientists were able to create a solar cell that could generate more electricity from sunlight. They built a special type of solar cell called a triple-junction cell, which is made up of three layers of different materials. This new perovskite-based solar cell was able to convert sunlight into electricity with an efficiency of 27.62%, which is a very good result.

In simple terms, the scientists found a way to make solar panels that can produce more electricity from the sun by adding a special ingredient to the material they are made of.

Liu S., Lu Y., Yu C., Li J., Luo R., Guo R., Liang H., Jia X., Guo X., Wang YD., Zhou Q., Wang X., Yang S., Sui M., Muller-Buschbaum P., Hou Y. Triple-junction solar cells with cyanate in ultrawide bandgap perovskites. Nature. 2024 Mar 4. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07226-1.