journal article·2026-05Open access

Redox‐Active NiO x ‐Catalyzed Li + Capture‐Extraction Strategy for t BP‐Free Spiro‐OMeTAD Enables Exceptional Damp‐Heat Stability in Perovskite Solar Cells

Yun Seop Shin, Minjin Kim, Jaehwi Lee, Chang Hyeon Yoon, Jongdeuk Seo, Gyeong‐Cheon Choi, Sujung Park, Min Jung Sung, Kyungnan Son, Sungjun Hong, Inyoung Jeong, Junseop Byeon, Yimhyun Jo, Dongmin Lee, Minseong Kim, Shinuk Cho, Ji‐Youn Seo, Jin Young Kim, Dong Suk Kim, SeJin Ahn

Advanced Science· Volume 13· Issue 25

Abstract

ABSTRACT For the spiro‐OMeTAD‐based hole‐transporting layer (HTL), despite its widespread implementation, the pragmatic deployment of perovskite solar cells remains profoundly constrained by multifaceted intrinsic challenges—most notably the inclusion of t BP and the deleterious migration behaviors of Li + ions—which collectively undermine long‐term thermal stability, as even advanced encapsulation schemes fail to arrest irreversible performance degradation. Here, we introduce a redox‐catalytic strategy that enables simultaneous Li + capture and extraction from the spiro‐OMeTAD solution, achieving a t BP‐free, Li + ‐free dopant system. Micro‐sized nickel oxide (NiO x ) powder act as a redox‐active catalyst, inducing ultrafast oxidation of spiro‐OMeTAD through a redox cascade mechanism while promoting LiTFSI solvation and Li + sequestration. The reacted NiO x particulates, along with sequestered Li + ions and Li‐related byproducts, are completely removed during filtration, yielding a purified dopant formulation devoid of instability‐inducing residues. As a direct outcome, the NiO x ‐catalyzed HTL furnishes an outstanding powder conversion efficiency of 25.24%, commensurate with that of devices employing conventionally doped HTLs containing t BP and LiTFSI. More importantly, the concomitant removal of pernicious constituents imparts exceptional operational resilience, with the device retaining over 95% of its initial efficiency after 1,000 h under stringent damp‐heat stress.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Perovskite Materials and Applications · Advanced Battery Materials and Technologies · TiO2 Photocatalysis and Solar Cells

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Graduate School of Carbon Neutrality Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) Ulsan Republic of Korea

School of Energy and Chemical Engineering Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) Ulsan Republic of Korea

Photoenergy Research Center Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT) Daejeon Republic of Korea

Ulsan Advanced Energy Technology R&D Center Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) Ulsan Republic of Korea

Department of Nano Fusion Technology Pusan National University Busan Republic of Korea

Department of Physics and Energy Harvest Storage Research Center University of Ulsan Ulsan Republic of Korea

Photovoltaics Research Department Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) Daejeon Republic of Korea

Funding

National Research Foundation of Korea · Korea Institute of Energy Research

References (39)

Show source-provided references
1. 10.1063/1.497778910.1063/1.4977789 ↗
2. 10.1126/sciadv.150149110.1126/sciadv.1501491 ↗
3. 10.1063/1.242455210.1063/1.2424552 ↗
4. 10.1039/c2cp44397j10.1039/c2cp44397j ↗
5. 10.1038/s41560‐025‐01781‐110.1038/s41560‐025‐01781‐1 ↗
6. 10.1016/j.joule.2025.10187910.1016/j.joule.2025.101879 ↗
7. 10.1038/s41467‐024‐55329‐010.1038/s41467‐024‐55329‐0 ↗
8. 10.1126/science.adr133410.1126/science.adr1334 ↗
9. 10.1002/adma.20251327010.1002/adma.202513270 ↗
10. 10.1038/s41467‐023‐41856‐910.1038/s41467‐023‐41856‐9 ↗
11. 10.1038/s41467‐024‐48877‐y10.1038/s41467‐024‐48877‐y ↗
12. 10.1016/j.matt.2023.08.01610.1016/j.matt.2023.08.016 ↗
13. 10.1039/C4TA01550A10.1039/C4TA01550A ↗
14. 10.1007/s40820‐022‐00916‐310.1007/s40820‐022‐00916‐3 ↗
15. 10.1016/j.joule.2024.10.01110.1016/j.joule.2024.10.011 ↗
16. 10.1016/j.chempr.2019.04.00310.1016/j.chempr.2019.04.003 ↗
17. 10.1021/acsenergylett.8b0078610.1021/acsenergylett.8b00786 ↗
18. 10.1038/s41560‐025‐01856‐z10.1038/s41560‐025‐01856‐z ↗
19. 10.1021/acsaem.4c0324710.1021/acsaem.4c03247 ↗
20. 10.1021/acsenergylett.4c0004910.1021/acsenergylett.4c00049 ↗
21. 10.1002/eom2.1239810.1002/eom2.12398 ↗
22. 10.1002/adma.20220097810.1002/adma.202200978 ↗
23. 10.1016/j.nanoen.2025.11149910.1016/j.nanoen.2025.111499 ↗
24. 10.1039/D4EE05699J10.1039/D4EE05699J ↗
25. 10.1002/aenm.20190151910.1002/aenm.201901519 ↗
26. 10.1021/acsami.5b0770310.1021/acsami.5b07703 ↗
27. 10.1016/j.solmat.2016.03.02410.1016/j.solmat.2016.03.024 ↗
28. 10.1002/aenm.20240045610.1002/aenm.202400456 ↗
29. 10.1002/adfm.20221130410.1002/adfm.202211304 ↗
30. 10.1038/nmat244810.1038/nmat2448 ↗
31. 10.1126/science.abo275710.1126/science.abo2757 ↗
32. 10.1002/adma.20230896910.1002/adma.202308969 ↗
33. 10.1021/jacs.8b0980910.1021/jacs.8b09809 ↗
34. 10.1021/acsami.5b0449010.1021/acsami.5b04490 ↗
35. 10.1021/acs.chemmater.6b0177710.1021/acs.chemmater.6b01777 ↗
36. 10.1039/C8EE01500G10.1039/C8EE01500G ↗
37. 10.1016/j.joule.2021.02.00710.1016/j.joule.2021.02.007 ↗
38. 10.1038/s41586‐021‐03518‐y10.1038/s41586‐021‐03518‐y ↗
39. 10.1126/science.abq623510.1126/science.abq6235 ↗