From lab to market: strategies for stabilizing and scaling perovskite solar cells via printing technologies

Abstract

Demonstrating significant achievements in efficiency, perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have acquired unique positions in photovoltaics, offering alternatives to conventional commercial silicon solar cells. While there has been significant progress in enhancing photovoltaic performance, obvious stability problems remain a primary challenge that continues to hinder the commercial viability of PSCs. This present review first comprehensively discusses the main challenges to the commercialization of PSCs, including stability problems, ion migration, toxicity, and complexities in large-scale fabrication. It then effectively presents universal strategies to overcome the mentioned problems. Moreover, this review article examines various printing techniques that can be used to improve PSCs, emphasizing their benefits like low-cost components and procedures. Several printing processes are covered in the discussion, such as slot-die coating, spray coating, inkjet printing, doctor-blade coating, roll-to-roll printing, and screen printing. The potential uses of PSCs for the implementation of greenhouses, building-integrated photovoltaic systems, and indoor light energy harvesting. These uses highlight the adaptability of PSCs and demonstrate their ability to transform energy production technologies. Additionally, this review highlights the special qualities of perovskite materials that present chances to surpass silicon solar cells' efficiency restrictions and get close to the Shockley-Queisser limit. In conclusion, the current review provides a brief overview of recent developments, existing challenges, and opportunities of PSCs. It provides a thorough understanding of the merits of highly efficient PSCs fabricated by adopting printing methods to tackle stability problems along with facile fabrication of PSCs using simplified and cost-effective strategies.