{"title":"Homogenizing strain via reinforced lattice interaction enables efficient and stable 4T perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells","authors":"Yawei Niu, Shuyi Lin, Xiaorui Dong, Minhuan Wang, Yuzhen Zhang, Sihan Ning, Zhe Li, Jingyang Wang, Jun Yin, Shangshang Chen, Pengchen Zhu, Jia Zhu","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102142","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2025.102142","url":null,"abstract":"Connecting a wide-band-gap (WBG) perovskite solar cell with a crystalline silicon (c-Si) cell enables the device to surpass the Shockley-Queisser (S-Q) limit of a single-junction solar cell. However, strain in WBG perovskites reduces the ion migration barrier and defect formation energy, severely impacting the efficiency and stability of tandem devices. Herein, we utilize benzamidinium chloride (BMCl), a molecule containing a deprotonation-resistant amidinium group, which occupies the A-site vacancy and interacts strongly with the [PbI<sub>6</sub>]<sup>4−</sup> octahedra to stabilize the crystal lattice. This strategy synergistically facilitates uniform compressive strain formation within perovskite films, increasing the ion migration barrier and defect formation energy. The optimized WBG single-junction perovskite (with a 1.67 eV band gap) and 4-terminal (4T) perovskite/Si tandem devices achieved power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 23.5% (22.9% certified) and 33.4%, respectively. Remarkably, the 4T tandem device showed no PCE decay after 48 days of operation under outdoor conditions, demonstrating superior real-world stability.","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"320 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":39.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145141104","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}
JoulePub Date : 2025-09-22DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2025.102133
Zhizai Li, Kai Li, Yaxing Wang, Shuao Wang
{"title":"Coalescent energy transducer for future micronuclear battery","authors":"Zhizai Li, Kai Li, Yaxing Wang, Shuao Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102133","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2025.102133","url":null,"abstract":"Zhizai Li earned his PhD from Lanzhou University in 2024 and is now an associate professor in Professor Shuao Wang’s group. His research interests include the synthesis of novel metal halide photovoltaic materials, device structure design, and their applications in high-efficiency voltaic batteries.Kai Li received his PhD in 2019 from the Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China. He is currently an associate professor in Professor Shuao Wang’s group. His research focuses on the synthesis of scintillators and phosphors, with an emphasis on their applications in high-efficiency and stable radioluminescent nuclear batteries.Yaxing Wang is a professor at Soochow University. He completed his PhD at Sichuan University in 2019. His research focuses on radiochemistry and its interdisciplinary applications, including radionuclide separation, micronuclear battery, and environmental radionuclide detection.Shuao Wang is the dean of the School of Radiation Medicine and Protection and a Professor at Soochow University. He earned his PhD from the University of Notre Dame and subsequently conducted postdoctoral research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of California, Berkeley. Professor Wang specializes in radiochemistry and radiation chemistry, with a focus on spent-fuel reprocessing, geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste, nuclear accident emergency response, and related fields.","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":39.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145103725","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":"Elevating dielectric constant via additive engineering: Achieving 19.23% certified efficiency in thick-film binary organic solar cells","authors":"Xinkang Wang, Jifa Wu, Siyu Zhao, Mingqing Chen, Tianyuan Shi, Xianglun Xie, Qingqing Bai, Jialong Xie, Lianjie Zhang, Dongge Ma, Junwu Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102135","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2025.102135","url":null,"abstract":"The realization of highly efficient thick-film organic solar cells (OSCs) is a key path to reaching high-throughput organic photovoltaics. Herein, we demonstrate an additive strategy mediated by tribromopyrimidine (TBP) for optimizing of dielectric constant (ε<sub>r</sub>) of organic semiconductor materials along with prolonged exciton diffusion length (<em>L</em><sub>D</sub>) and enhanced vertical phase separation morphology. Based on 100-, 300-, and 500-nm-thick D18:L8-BO active layers, the TBP-treated binary OSCs showed power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 20.87%, 19.23%, and 17.82%, respectively, remarkably higher than those of 18.25%, 16.69%, and 13.52% of the corresponding control devices. A certified PCE of 19.23%, a record efficiency, and an exceptional high fill factor of 78.02% were achieved with the TBP-treated 300-nm-thick OSCs. Furthermore, enhanced device stabilities were demonstrated with the TBP-treated devices, retaining 87.9%, 79.4%, and 93.7% of the initial under continuous operational illumination (1,000 h), thermal aging (85°C, 720 h), and storage in air (720 h), respectively.","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"79 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":39.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145103671","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}
JoulePub Date : 2025-09-17DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2025.102129
Xue Zhou , Zhonghai Zhang
{"title":"A “living photocatalyst” for solar-to-chemical energy conversion","authors":"Xue Zhou , Zhonghai Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102129","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102129","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In a recent issue of <em>Journal of the American Chemical Society</em>, Zhang et al. grafted choline phosphate-functionalized organic donor-acceptor heterojunctions onto the surface of non-photosynthetic <em>Ralstonia eutropha</em> (<em>R. eutropha</em>), converting the industrial bacterium into a living photocatalyst that continuously fixes CO<sub>2</sub> into the bioplastic poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) under visible light.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"9 9","pages":"Article 102129"},"PeriodicalIF":35.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145072428","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}
JoulePub Date : 2025-09-17DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2025.102047
Abdulaziz S.R. Bati , Cheng Liu , Isaiah W. Gilley , Charles B. Musgrave III , Aidan Maxwell , Julian A. Steele , Yi Yang , Hao Chen , Haoyue Wan , Jian Xu , Eduardo Solano , Rui Zhang , Chuying Huang , Benjamin Rehl , Nikolaos Lempesis , Virginia Carnevali , Andrea Vezzosi , Lewei Zeng , Luke Grater , Muzhi Li , Edward H. Sargent
{"title":"A chemically bonded monolayer interface enables enhanced thermal stability and efficiency in Pb-Sn perovskite solar cells","authors":"Abdulaziz S.R. Bati , Cheng Liu , Isaiah W. Gilley , Charles B. Musgrave III , Aidan Maxwell , Julian A. Steele , Yi Yang , Hao Chen , Haoyue Wan , Jian Xu , Eduardo Solano , Rui Zhang , Chuying Huang , Benjamin Rehl , Nikolaos Lempesis , Virginia Carnevali , Andrea Vezzosi , Lewei Zeng , Luke Grater , Muzhi Li , Edward H. Sargent","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102047","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102047","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Advances in narrow-band-gap (NBG) mixed lead-tin (Pb-Sn) perovskites have enabled increasingly efficient all-perovskite tandem solar cells, yet device stability remains limited by acidic poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) hole transport materials (HTMs). Although carbazole-based self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) were considered as alternatives, they also degrade rapidly (T80 < 200 h) under external stresses. We identified weak chemical interaction at the transparent conductive oxide:SAM:perovskite interface and hypothesized that stronger binding could enhance stability. Introducing bifunctional SAMs with thiol groups established robust S-Pb chemical coordination, improving fracture energy by 30%. Replacing acidic phosphonic groups with milder carboxylic groups and optimizing SAM chain length led to selecting 16-mercaptohexadecanoic acid (16-MHDA), balancing coverage, energy alignment, and series resistance. This approach doubled photocarrier lifetime and increased thermal degradation resistance by 1.3×. Single-junction Pb-Sn cells achieved 24% power conversion efficiency (PCE) and encapsulated devices retained 80% efficiency after 680 h under 1-sun illumination at a heatsink temperature of 50°C.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"9 9","pages":"Article 102047"},"PeriodicalIF":35.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144630096","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}
JoulePub Date : 2025-09-17DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2025.102100
Yong Zeng , Fangzheng Liu , Qiao Zhang , Dejian Cheng , Yingchun Xu , Shang-Sen Chi , Xiaoxiong Xu , Chaoyang Wang , Jun Wang , Kang Xu , Yonghong Deng , Hongli Xu
{"title":"A thermoresponsive electrolyte additive for high-energy, long-cycling, and safe lithium batteries","authors":"Yong Zeng , Fangzheng Liu , Qiao Zhang , Dejian Cheng , Yingchun Xu , Shang-Sen Chi , Xiaoxiong Xu , Chaoyang Wang , Jun Wang , Kang Xu , Yonghong Deng , Hongli Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102100","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102100","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Simultaneously achieving both high energy density and intrinsic safety in lithium-based batteries remains a fundamental challenge. Here, we resolve this dilemma by designing a thermoresponsive additive that improves the electrochemical performance of the batteries at normal service temperatures, while activating safety intervention under high temperatures to avert thermal runaway. At lower temperatures below polymerization, 3-phenyl-7-(trifluoromethyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,3-benzoxazine (mCF<sub>3</sub>-BA) contributes to forming a highly stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI)/cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI) during initial charge/discharge cycles, as evidenced by the 98.1% capacity retention at the 100<sup>th</sup> cycle for a 500 mAh Li||LiNi<sub>0.8</sub>Co<sub>0.1</sub>Mn<sub>0.1</sub>O<sub>2</sub> (NCM811) pouch cell and 80% at the 800<sup>th</sup> cycle for a 1,800 mAh Si@Gr450 (mixture of Si and graphite with a designated capacity of 450 mAh g<sup>−1</sup>)||NCM811 pouch cell. At elevated temperatures upon thermal abuse, the rapid polymerization of mCF<sub>3</sub>-BA creates an insulating thermoset network that physically prevents electrode contact and chemical crosstalk. Such a mechanism elevates the thermal runaway threshold temperature (T₂) by 34.5°C and 43.9°C for 500 mAh Li||NCM811 and 1,800 mAh Si@Gr450||NCM811 lithium batteries, respectively.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"9 9","pages":"Article 102100"},"PeriodicalIF":35.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144901178","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}
JoulePub Date : 2025-09-17DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2025.102074
Xinyang Che , Lijun Liu , Wei He
{"title":"Assess space-based solar power for European-scale power system decarbonization","authors":"Xinyang Che , Lijun Liu , Wei He","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102074","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102074","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Meeting net-zero targets is challenging, as terrestrial renewables face intermittency and regional constraints. Here, we assess space-based solar power, a near-constant source, using a high-resolution, Europe-wide capacity-expansion and dispatch model. We assess two advanced designs: (1) a near-baseload, low-TRL (technology readiness level) heliostat design and (2) a partially intermittent, higher-TRL planar design, using NASA’s 2050 forecast. We find that the heliostat design can cut total system costs by 7%–15%, offset up to 80% of wind and solar, and reduce battery usage by over 70%, although hydrogen remains vital for seasonal balancing. The planar design, by contrast, is uneconomical at its forecast costs. Sensitivity analyses reveal relative cost thresholds for both designs, at which space-based solar shifts from cost-prohibitive to complementary and ultimately to a dominant baseload source for net-zero transitions. These results provide robust techno-economic benchmarks, highlighting new net-zero pathways and guiding policymakers and industry toward large-scale, low-intermittency renewables.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"9 9","pages":"Article 102074"},"PeriodicalIF":35.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144901300","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}
JoulePub Date : 2025-09-17DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2025.102058
Chenyang Wei , Cheng Liu , Zeyu Zhang , Kai Sun , Chengkun Xing , Wenjuan Shi , Youyong Li , Jian-Feng Li , Bo Zhang
{"title":"Dynamic template reconstruction induced mesoporous iridium catalysts for high-current-density PEMWE","authors":"Chenyang Wei , Cheng Liu , Zeyu Zhang , Kai Sun , Chengkun Xing , Wenjuan Shi , Youyong Li , Jian-Feng Li , Bo Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102058","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102058","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Enhancing current density is a crucial strategy for reducing costs and improving the efficiency of green hydrogen production through water electrolysis. However, mass diffusion and proton transport limitations under high-current densities remain serious obstacles. Here, we proposed a novel strategy to construct a three-dimensional mesoporous skeleton structure of IrO<sub>2</sub> to address the limitations. By utilizing the dynamic loading of Ir nanoparticles during the La<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> template reconstruction process, high-density embedding of ultra-small Ir nanoparticles in the template is achieved. During the electrochemical process, <em>in situ</em> oxidation of Ir nanoparticles combined with template leaching results in the formation of a three-dimensional, mesoporous IrO<sub>2</sub> structure. The developed catalyst enables proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) to achieve stable operation for over 2,700 h at a current density of 5 A cm<sup>−2</sup> with a voltage degradation rate of ∼0.38 μV h<sup>−1</sup>, which meets the 2030 EU Clean Hydrogen JU target and 2026 US Department of Energy (DOE) target.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"9 9","pages":"Article 102058"},"PeriodicalIF":35.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144756661","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}
JoulePub Date : 2025-09-17DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2025.102091
Licheng Lou , Jinlin Wang , Yuan Li , Kang Yin , Xiao Xu , Bowen Zhang , Menghan Jiao , Shudan Chen , Tan Guo , Jingchen Wang , Yiming Li , Jiangjian Shi , Huijue Wu , Ruijuan Xiao , Hao Xin , Yanhong Luo , Dongmei Li , Qingbo Meng
{"title":"Multi-interface engineering for all-solution-processed kesterite solar cells","authors":"Licheng Lou , Jinlin Wang , Yuan Li , Kang Yin , Xiao Xu , Bowen Zhang , Menghan Jiao , Shudan Chen , Tan Guo , Jingchen Wang , Yiming Li , Jiangjian Shi , Huijue Wu , Ruijuan Xiao , Hao Xin , Yanhong Luo , Dongmei Li , Qingbo Meng","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102091","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102091","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The interface contact issue, surface defects, and energy level mismatches have significantly limited the optoelectronic performance of solution-processed transparent conductive window layers for use in thin-film solar cells. In this work, these challenges are systematically addressed by employing molecular engineering to regulate the multiple interfaces of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO-nps)/silver nanowires (AgNWs) window layers in kesterite solar cells. The interface molecular engineering enhances the conformal deposition of ZnO-nps on rough Cu<sub>2</sub>ZnSn(S, Se)<sub>4</sub> (CZTSSe)/CdS substrates, passivates hydroxyl defects in ZnO-nps, and optimizes energy level alignment at the ZnO-nps/AgNWs interface. These advancements enable us to achieve a certified total area efficiency of 14.3%, marking a significant milestone for all-solution-processed kesterite solar cells. Furthermore, the solution-processed window layer forms a robust and flexion-tolerant lateral conductive network, imparting excellent flexibility to the cells. This development provides a critical technical foundation to support the low-cost and simpler preparation of thin-film solar cells in future commercialization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"9 9","pages":"Article 102091"},"PeriodicalIF":35.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144825983","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}
JoulePub Date : 2025-09-17DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2025.102098
You Gao , Youpeng Wang , Penghui Yang , Biao Shi , Zhen Liu , Shuainan Liu , Sihan Li , Yali Liu , Xin Ge , Pengfei Liu , Yuan Luo , Cong Sun , Xiaona Du , Pengyang Wang , Ying Zhao , Jun Shao , Xiaodan Zhang
{"title":"Shear flow strategy for coating homogeneity of organic materials in perovskite solar cells and modules","authors":"You Gao , Youpeng Wang , Penghui Yang , Biao Shi , Zhen Liu , Shuainan Liu , Sihan Li , Yali Liu , Xin Ge , Pengfei Liu , Yuan Luo , Cong Sun , Xiaona Du , Pengyang Wang , Ying Zhao , Jun Shao , Xiaodan Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102098","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joule.2025.102098","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The non-uniformity of the perovskite layer is a critical bottleneck limiting performance improvements in large-area perovskite solar cells (PSCs). In the evaporation-solution hybrid method, the Marangoni effect occurs due to variations in local organic material concentration during the coating process, leading to material clustering and coffee-ring effects, which hinder device performance. Here, we discussed the air-blowing process during coating and identified shear flow as the key factor affecting film homogeneity. By modulating the shear flow intensity, the surface tension gradient induced by local concentration differences is adjusted, mitigating the Marangoni effect and resulting in uniform perovskite films. Consequently, perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells (PS-TSCs) achieved 27.36% efficiency (64.64 cm<sup>2</sup> aperture area), whereas perovskite modules (PSMs) reached 21.83% efficiency (810 cm<sup>2</sup> aperture area).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":343,"journal":{"name":"Joule","volume":"9 9","pages":"Article 102098"},"PeriodicalIF":35.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144901245","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}