Joule最新文献

{"title":"Boundary density predicts catalyst-layer utilization in membrane-electrode assemblies","authors":"Li Yu,Muhan Zhang,Deli Zhou,Zhichao Gong,Weizhe Zhang,Chia-Jung Kuo,Tzu-Yun Chao,Hsuan-Yi Wang,Yiju Li,Yixiang Shi,Weihong Li","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2026.102719","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2026.102719","url":null,"abstract":"Membrane-electrode assemblies (MEAs) are central to electrochemical energy conversion, but their catalyst layers (CLs) are often underutilized because reactions are distributed unevenly across the interface with the porous transport layer (PTL). Our multiphysics simulations and colorimetric mapping show that coupled mass- and electron-transport limitations concentrate reactions near PTL/CL boundaries. Motivated by this observation, we define boundary density (BD), the boundary length per unit area, as a geometric descriptor for predicting CL utilization. In anion-exchange-membrane water electrolysis, cell voltage decreases inversely with BD. A Poisson-line model accounts for this relationship and provides compact semi-empirical expressions for the individual overpotential components. Guided by this framework, we fabricated a freeze-cast PTL with a BD > 35 mm−1 that reaches 4 A cm−2 at 1.91 V. These results suggest that interfacial engineering should focus not only on contact area but also on increasing the number of active reaction fronts.","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"295 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":39.8,"publicationDate":"2026-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149374905","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Engineering a borate-rich interphase for highly stable all-solid-state sodium batteries","authors":"Anli Wang,Tinghu Liu,Zihao Zhang,Mengke Li,Haoliang Liu,Mingze Sun,Changyi Dong,Qihang Zhang,Wenyan Hou,Bin Zhao,Bing Xiao,Kang Yuan,Leidang Zhou,Fei Shen,Xinyong Tao,Zheng Liang,Xiaogang Han","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2026.102718","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2026.102718","url":null,"abstract":"Composite polymer electrolytes (CPEs) are promising for all-solid-state sodium batteries, yet interfacial instability limits their practical applications. The commonly used NaTFSI can electrochemically form an NaF-Na2CO3-Na2O-rich solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) to regulate sodium-ion deposition, but the resulting protective layer still suffers from early failure. Herein, a borate-enriched interphase is introduced by incorporating NaDFOB into a polyethylene oxide-based CPE, enabling stable and dendrite-free Na plating/stripping. Experimental results reveal that DFOB− preferentially decomposes over TFSI−, forming an Na4B2O5-NaF-Na2CO3-Na2O SEI with synergistic ion-conductive and electron-blocking properties. Moreover, theoretical calculations are performed to investigate the synergistic ionic-enhanced and electronic-restricted capability of the SEI layer. Benefiting from the stabilized SEI, the Na||Na symmetric cell exhibits outstanding cyclic stability (5,000 h at 0.5 mA cm−2), and the full cell delivers a high initial capacity of 99.4 mAh g−1 with 92.38% retention at 3 C after 9,000 cycles.","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"34 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":39.8,"publicationDate":"2026-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149360406","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Why sulfur stays present but inaccessible in practical lithium-sulfur pouch cells","authors":"Niubu LeGe,Mengxue He,Chunli Shen,Yuanrui Li,Yatao Liu,Quanquan Pang","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2026.102716","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2026.102716","url":null,"abstract":"Practical lithium-sulfur pouch cells can fail while sulfur remains physically present. This perspective synthesizes established failure pathways around loss of electrochemical accessibility caused by uneven electrolyte availability, transport, interfacial contact, and lithium-metal reversibility. Two qualitative questions organize diagnosis: is enough usable electrolyte locally available, and can the local transport of lithium ions and, where relevant, soluble sulfur species keep pace with sulfur conversion? These questions connect electrolyte redistribution and consumption, precipitation and redissolution, lithium-metal degradation, and pressure and thermal nonuniformity. A staged validation protocol distinguishes material screening from single-layer, few-layer, Ah-class, and module-level evidence. Preserving sulfur accessibility under application-relevant conditions is central to translating laboratory performance into practical pouch cells.","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"260 1","pages":"102716"},"PeriodicalIF":39.8,"publicationDate":"2026-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149360407","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High efficiency through light management in semitransparent perovskite-organic tandem modules for window-integrated photovoltaics","authors":"Jessica Barichello,Michael Wagner,Eswaran Jayaraman,Francesco Viero,Karen Forberich,Robin Basu,Mehrad Ahmadpour,Irina Vyalih,Sambathkumar Balasubramanian,Vida Turkovic,Jani Lamminaho,Hans-Joachim Egelhaaf,Andreas Distler,Søren Peder Madsen,Jacek Fiutowski,Chun Yuen Ho,David Tanenbaum,Markus Babin,Sune Thorsteinsson,Peter Behrensdorff Poulsen,Kun Wang,Letizia Bua,Riccardo Po’,Paolo Biagini,Barbara Paci,Amanda Generosi,Fabio Matteocci,Morten Madsen,Christoph J. Brabec,Aldo Di Carlo","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2026.102717","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2026.102717","url":null,"abstract":"Semitransparent photovoltaics can turn building windows into energy-generating elements, but simultaneously achieving high power efficiency, visible light transparency, and color quality remains challenging. This study develops mechanically stacked two-terminal perovskite/organic tandem modules that combine a near-UV perovskite top module, a near-IR organic bottom module, and a spectrally selective distributed Bragg reflector. Module-level voltage matching enables independent optimization of the two submodules while preserving parallel operation. The optimized laminated 5 × 5 cm2 tandem reaches an active-area PCE of 12.32%, 29.61% average visible transmittance, a light utilization efficiency of 3.65%, and a color rendering index of 77. The architecture is scaled to 13 × 13 cm2 modules and integrated into window demonstrators. Light-soaking tests indicate a beneficial spectral-filtering effect on the organic submodule, while life-cycle assessment identifies operational lifetime and manufacturing optimization as key determinants of future environmental performance.","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":39.8,"publicationDate":"2026-11-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149359777","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reporting guidelines of stretchable solar cells toward standardized evaluation","authors":"Dexia Han,Wenchao Zhao,Yong Cui,Kangkang Zhou,Xin Li,Yurim Bae,Vakhobjon Kuvondikov,Bumjoon J. Kim,Jianhui Hou,Long Ye","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2026.102715","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2026.102715","url":null,"abstract":"Dexia Han is a PhD candidate at Tianjin University under the direction of Prof. Long Ye (2022–present). She holds a BEng in Polymer materials and engineering from Taiyuan University of Technology (2022). Her expertise lies in the preparation and characterization of stretchable organic photovoltaics.\u0000Wenchao Zhao is a professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University. He received his PhD from the Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ICCAS) in 2019. From 2019 to 2021, he worked as a postdoc at Purdue University, USA. His research focuses on organic solar cells, perovskite functional materials and devices, biomass-based functional materials and devices, etc.\u0000Yong Cui is a professor at University of Science and Technology Beijing. He received his PhD in Science from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2019. He is engaged in research in the field of organic photovoltaics, including photoactive layer materials and interface layer materials, high-efficiency photovoltaic devices, and indoor organic photovoltaics.\u0000Kangkang Zhou is currently an associate researcher at Zhengzhou University. He received his PhD in polymer materials science and engineering from Tianjin University in 2024. His main research direction is the study on the relationship between the microstructure and mechanical properties of stretchable photovoltaic blend films.\u0000Xin Li is currently an associate professor at the School of Fashion and Art Engineering, Minjiang University. He received his PhD in textile science and engineering from Jiangnan University in 2023 and was a postdoc in Prof. Long Ye's group during 2023–2025. His main research direction is the development of functional textile fibers and the research on intelligent wearable electronic devices.\u0000Yurim Bae is currently a PhD candidate at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH). She was a visiting PhD student in Prof. Long Ye's group in 2024. Her main research direction is the performance regulation of stretchable interface layers and active layers in organic solar cells.\u0000Vakhobjon Kuvondikov is currently the head of laboratory at the Institute of Ion-plasma and Laser Technologies, Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, where he obtained his doctoral degree. His main research directions are interface regulation of semiconductor devices and modification of textile materials.\u0000Bumjoon Kim is a professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. He received his BS degree from Seoul National University in 2000 and his PhD degree from the University of California in 2006. His research interests include eco-friendly solar cells, wearable soft electronics, polymers for fuel cells and batteries, smart polymers, and polymer hybrid materials.\u0000Jianhui Hou has been a professor at ICCAS since 2010. He received his PhD in physical chemistry from ICCAS in 2006. Then, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher in University of Califo","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":39.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149281632","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Regulating carrier transport and oxychloride interphase formation by increasing configurational complexity in solid-state halide electrolytes","authors":"Zhuo Yu,Yubo Wang,Ning Chen,Linda F. Nazar","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2026.102713","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2026.102713","url":null,"abstract":"Lithium metal-halide solid electrolytes are promising alternatives to lithium thiophosphates owing to their low toxicity and improved positive-electrode compatibility, while interfacial instability during cycling and the high cost of metal-salt precursors remain key commercialization challenges. Herein, we demonstrate that increasing the configurational complexity of low-cost Li2ZrCl6 with a minimal fraction of metal dopants induces significant lattice distortions that promote Li-ion transport. Our strategy furthermore substantially reduces electronic conductivity and promotes formation of an in situ (Liz)ZrOxCly-rich protective nanolayer at the cathode interface during cycling, which is absent in pristine Li2ZrCl6 cells. All-solid-state batteries using the optimized electrolyte coupled with polycrystalline LiNi0.85Co0.1Mn0.05O2 delivered high areal capacity (up to 23.2 mAh cm−2) and excellent long-term 4.4 V cycling stability, unlike the fast capacity decay in Li2ZrCl6 cells. These results show that electronic conductivity and interfacial behavior critically govern cycling performance and suggest general applicability to cathodes susceptible to oxygen release at high potentials.","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":39.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149248583","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A mechanistic investigation of the relationship between battery energy and capacity","authors":"Matthieu Dubarry, Stephen J. Harris, Reed M. Wittman, Yuliya Preger","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2026.102540","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joule.2026.102540","url":null,"abstract":"<div><ul><li><span>•</span><span><div>Capacity loss and energy loss are not interchangeable</div></span></li><li><span>•</span><span><div>Divergence between capacity and energy losses has diverse origin</div></span></li><li><span>•</span><span><div>Divergence dependent on electrode chemistry, kinetics, operating regime, and depth of discharge</div></span></li></ul></div><div>Standards and guidelines for battery storage systems often refer to “capacity” as one of the most critical metrics used in testing protocols and state-of-health definitions. However, there are often inconsistencies in its definition, and the lab convenient capacity, in ampere-hours (Ah), is sometimes confused with the energy, in watt-hours (Wh), which is a much more relevant metric for deployed applications. These two metrics are not exchangeable and, depending on degradation, often diverge, leading to inaccurate lifetime predictions and possible safety concerns.</div><div>This work establishes and validates a new explanatory theoretical framework linking this divergence to specific degradation modes, both thermodynamic and kinetic, with some influence of electrode chemistry, operating regime, and depth of discharge. With the theoretical framework in place, it can be proven that a capacity-based state of health could be an unreliable proxy when energy is the main requirement. They provide a more accurate, energy-centric state estimation that next-generation battery management systems could use for better monitoring and that could also be used for second-life cell sorting.</div><div><div>Battery state of health is conventionally tracked by capacity fade (ampere-hours [Ah]), yet energy (watt-hours [Wh]) is the critical metric for real-world applications. This reliance on capacity is problematic, as recent empirical work has demonstrated that capacity and energy diverge, leading to lifetime prediction errors that can exceed 15%. However, a mechanistic framework linking this divergence to specific degradation mechanisms has been lacking. Here, we establish a framework using a degradation modes model to quantify the energy-to-capacity retention ratio. We demonstrate mechanistically that this ratio is a highly sensitive metric, with its evolution being specific to chemistry, operating regime, temperature, and depth of discharge. This framework was validated against multiple experimental datasets, successfully explaining complex, non-linear evolutions by deconvoluting the competing impacts of thermodynamic and kinetic degradation modes. These findings reveal that capacity-based state of health is an unreliable proxy for the state of energy, providing a foundational understanding required for next-generation battery management systems.</div></div><div>Battery state of health is conventionally tracked by capacity fade (ampere-hours [Ah]), yet energy (watt-hours [Wh]) is the critical metric for real-world applications. This reliance on capacity is problematic, as recent empirical work ","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"10 10","pages":"Article 102540"},"PeriodicalIF":37.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148624285","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Overcoming the durability limit of SOEC stacks through controlled mass transfer for cell degradation mitigation","authors":"Janghyun Lim, Wooseok Lee, Donghun Ryu, Hoyun Choi, Yunseo Choi, Jieun Won, Kyungjoong Yoon, Inchang Chu, Jongsup Hong","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2026.102485","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joule.2026.102485","url":null,"abstract":"<div><ul><li><span>•</span><span><div>Mass transfer control suppresses severe SOEC stack degradation</div></span></li><li><span>•</span><span><div>Slit-sheet architecture homogenizes steam and reaction distributions</div></span></li><li><span>•</span><span><div>Stabilized inlet conditions reduce fuel-electrode microstructural damage</div></span></li><li><span>•</span><span><div>A simple yet effective approach to SOEC stack degradation mitigation</div></span></li></ul></div><div>Severe degradation remains one of the main barriers preventing solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) from being more broadly deployed for green hydrogen production. Even though SOECs offer high efficiency, long-term operation under practical conditions, such as high-steam concentration, high current density, and high-steam utilization, can rapidly damage the fuel electrode and shorten stack lifetime. The challenge becomes even more critical in commercial-scale cells, where internal flow and reaction environments become uneven and accelerate localized degradation. This study shows that severe SOEC stack degradation can be mitigated by regulating internal mass transfer within the stack. The slit-sheet architecture redistributes reactant supply, suppresses localized degradation-prone inlet conditions, and stabilizes the electrochemical environment without relying on new electrode materials or complex cell fabrication processes. Owing to its structural simplicity and general applicability, this approach provides a broadly relevant route to durability enhancement in SOEC stacks. More broadly, the results identify internal transport control as a key principle for extending stack lifetime that offers a scalable pathway toward more robust high-temperature electrolysis systems.</div><div><div>Solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) offer efficient hydrogen production, but their commercialization is limited by rapid cell degradation under high-temperature, high-steam operation. While material innovations show promise, scaling such approaches to industrial-size stacks remains challenging due to spatial inhomogeneity in reaction environments. Here, a slit-sheet stack architecture is introduced to passively regulate mass transfer and homogenize reaction fields without altering cell materials. Strategically patterned slits precisely control fuel supply and diffusion, which suppresses inlet-localized physical gradients and stabilizes the electrode microstructure, thereby enhancing spatial utilization of large-area cells. Experimental demonstrations under harsh conditions reveal a remarkable reduction in voltage degradation, representing the most effective mitigation of stack-level degradation reported so far, supported by flow visualization, multiphysics simulations, and microstructural analysis. This mass transfer control strategy provides a practical, scalable solution for improving SOEC durability and represents a critical step toward the deployment of robust electrolysis systems.</di","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"10 10","pages":"Article 102485"},"PeriodicalIF":37.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149233294","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Steam-induced cation exchange in oxygen electrodes for superior protonic solid oxide cells","authors":"Zhijun Liu, Xueyu Hu, Haoyu Li, Weining Wang, Nikhil Govindarajan, Yong Ding, Rishav Choudhury, Kaiwen Wang, Yuefeng Song, Meilin Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2026.102491","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joule.2026.102491","url":null,"abstract":"<div><ul><li><span>•</span><span><div>Steam-induced cation exchange overcomes the activity-stability tradeoff</div></span></li><li><span>•</span><span><div>Excellent P-SOC performance and durability demonstrated in both FC and EC modes</div></span></li><li><span>•</span><span><div>Integrated <em>in situ</em> characterization, DRT analysis, and DFT calculations unravel the proton-involved ORR mechanism</div></span></li></ul></div><div>A steam-driven cation exchange strategy is applied to a new oxygen electrode material, BaCo<sub>0.8</sub>Fe<sub>0.1</sub>Hf<sub>0.05</sub>W<sub>0.05</sub>O<sub>3−δ</sub>, which markedly enhances both activity and durability, particularly at reduced temperatures. Using this electrode, protonic solid oxide cells (P-SOCs) achieve benchmark performance in fuel cell mode for sustainable electricity generation and in electrolysis mode for green hydrogen production, offering the potential for lower costs and broader applications. The material has been successfully scaled up into large-area cells and modules, demonstrating strong promise beyond the laboratory. It also performs effectively in oxygen-ion-conducting solid oxide cells, underscoring its versatility across multiple platforms. These findings highlight new opportunities to design robust catalysts that meet the dual demands of high efficiency and long-term stability, not only for energy conversion but also for broader environmental applications.</div><div><div>Protonic solid oxide cells (P-SOCs) represent one of the most promising technologies for sustainable power generation and green hydrogen production. However, their commercialization is currently hindered by the limited activity and durability of the oxygen electrode. Here, we report a steam-induced <em>in situ</em> tungsten and iron cation exchange strategy applied to a novel oxygen electrode material, BaCo<sub>0.8</sub>Fe<sub>0.1</sub>Hf<sub>0.05</sub>W<sub>0.05</sub>O<sub>3−δ</sub>, which enables exceptional electrocatalytic activity, rapid hydrogenation, and enhanced stabilization under high-steam conditions. The resulting P-SOCs achieve a peak power density of 3.15 W cm<sup>−2</sup> at 600°C and a current density of 1.61 A cm<sup>−2</sup> at 1.4 V and 450°C, while operating steadily at 1.0 A cm<sup>−2</sup> and 600°C with a degradation rate of 8.12 mV per 1,000 h. This work presents a design strategy that unites high activity and durability, advancing next-generation catalysts with a broad impact on energy and environmental technologies.</div></div><div>Protonic solid oxide cells (P-SOCs) represent one of the most promising technologies for sustainable power generation and green hydrogen production. However, their commercialization is currently hindered by the limited activity and durability of the oxygen electrode. Here, we report a steam-induced <em>in situ</em> tungsten and iron cation exchange strategy applied to a novel oxygen electrode material, BaCo<sub>0.8</sub>Fe<sub>0.1</sub>Hf<sub>0.05</sub>W<sub","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"10 10","pages":"Article 102491"},"PeriodicalIF":37.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149233881","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Homogeneously distributed self-assembled molecules for efficient and scalable perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells","authors":"Lu Zhao, Zijing Chu, Shuncheng Yang, Henan Feng, Bo Wang, Xuntian Zheng, Xinrui Han, Jiajia Hong, Runnan Liu, Enzuo Wang, Jie Wen, Dandan Yan, Cong Chen, Jian Xu, Renxing Lin, Wenchi Kong, Hairen Tan","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2026.102492","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joule.2026.102492","url":null,"abstract":"<div><ul><li><span>•</span><span><div>Optimized SAM deposition and distribution enhance large-area device performance</div></span></li><li><span>•</span><span><div>Tandem devices achieve a certified PCE of 32.4%</div></span></li><li><span>•</span><span><div>Surpassing 29% PCE in blade-coated large-area tandem devices (16 cm<sup>2</sup>)</div></span></li><li><span>•</span><span><div>A record single-junction module PCE of 19.1% (aperture area 783.7 cm<sup>2</sup>) is achieved</div></span></li></ul></div><div>The global transition to sustainable energy relies on advancing photovoltaic technologies beyond the efficiency limits of silicon. Perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells represent the most promising pathway to break these barriers, yet their commercialization is hindered by performance degradation caused by failure of interfacial functional layers, alongside scalability challenges—particularly in the hole transport layer. Carbazole SAMs often form non-uniform films due to molecular aggregation, limiting performance in larger-area devices. In this work, we introduce a molecularly engineered SAM that achieves homogeneous surface distribution by suppressing clustering, thereby enabling uniform charge extraction and enhanced operational robustness. This strategy bridges the critical gap between lab-scale efficiency and industrial-scale manufacturing, delivering high-performance tandem cells and large-area modules simultaneously.</div><div>Here, we designed a dimethylacridine-based self-assembled monolayer (SAM), namely 4-(2,7-diphenyl-9,9-dimethylacridin-10(9H)-yl)butyl phosphonic acid (Ph-DMAcPA), which incorporates a partially distorted molecular backbone to suppress excessive self-aggregation. This structural distortion enhances the solubility of the SAM and promotes the formation of a more uniform film on the substrate. Furthermore, the introduction of phenyl substitutions extends the conjugation range and increases steric hindrance, which collectively improve charge transport across the interface and optimize energy alignment between the hole transport layer and the perovskite absorber. As a result, small-area (1.163 cm<sup>2</sup>) tandem devices achieved a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 32.6% (certified 32.4%), and large-area (16 cm<sup>2</sup>) tandem devices yielded a PCE of 29.4% (certified 28.12%). In addition, a single-junction module achieved a PCE of 19.1% with an aperture area of 783.7 cm<sup>2</sup>. This strategy presents a practical pathway for the scalable production of high-efficiency tandem solar cells under ambient conditions, thereby advancing their commercial feasibility.</div><div><div>Uniform self-assembled molecules distribution is critical for scaling perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells. Carbazole self-assembled molecules suffer from aggregation-induced inhomogeneity due to their planar conjugated terminal groups, impairing film coverage and adhesion. We report a dimethylacridine-based molecule featuring a partial","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"10 10","pages":"Article 102492"},"PeriodicalIF":37.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148624271","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}