Applications of Polymers in Perovskite Solar Cells: A Review

Modern technology has a growing interest in the application of polymer as a flexible substrate in Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC), film-forming agents of the working electrode, platinum-free counter electrodes, and semi solid-state electrolyte. Uses of polymer in perovskite material lead to crystallization processes and work as an additive to adjust the nucleation. These polymers are generally used as an electron transfer material, hole transfer material or interface layer and work like to reduce the recombination rate and improves the separation efficiency of the charge carriers [1]. Polymers are often used as buffer layers or donor layers in inorganic solar cells. Some polymer nanostructured are used to enhance device performance [2,3]. Some low bandgap polymer materials are used as a hole transporting material in perovskite solar cells (PSC) to optimize efficiency as well as prevent cell degradation. Researchers are using a polymer-perovskite composite material to fabricate hybrid structures that are widely used in perovskite-based light-emitting diode (LED). Polymers encapsulated perovskite solar cell has a comparative longer lifetime and less degradation of materials than without encapsulation [4]. The light absorption of Perovskite layer is less impacted by the polymer coating. Though polymers have a lot of advantages for uses in perovskite solar cell some issues like thermal stability in high temperature, water permeability through polymer layer and adhesive property of thin layer is challenging and lot of research work is going on to address the challenges [5]. Recent trends of polymers application in perovskite-based solar cells and its achievements are reviewed and discussed in this article. Moreover, the practical challenges of polymer layered perovskite solar cell and implementation techniques are addressed.