Recent progress in use of MXene in perovskite solar cells: for interfacial modification, work-function tuning and additive engineering

• Published in: Nanoscale Vol. 14; no. 36; pp. 1318 - 1339
• Main Authors: Qamar, Samina, Fatima, Kalsoom, Ullah, Naimat, Akhter, Zareen, Waseem, Amir, Sultan, Muhammad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Royal Society of Chemistry 22.09.2022
• Subjects: Barriers; Carrier mobility; Commercialization; Electrical resistivity; Energy conversion efficiency; Heterostructures; MXenes; Perovskites; Photovoltaic cells; Solar cells; Solar energy conversion; Stability; Two dimensional materials; Work functions
• ISSN: 2040-3364; 2040-3372
• DOI: 10.1039/d2nr02799b

The use of perovskites in photovoltaic and related industries has achieved tremendous success over the last decade. However, there are still obstacles to overcome in terms of boosting their performance and resolving stability issues for future commercialization. The introduction of a new 2D material of halide perovskites is now the key advancement in boosting the solar energy conversion efficiency. The implication of a new 2D material (MXene) in perovskite solar cells has been initiated since its first report in 2018, showing excellent transparency, electrical conductivity, carrier mobility, superior mechanical strength, and tunable work function. Based on distinctive features at the hetero-interface, halide perovskite and MXene heterostructures (HPs/Mx) have recently exhibited exceptional improvements in both the performance and stability of perovskite solar cells. Furthermore, the wide families of HPs and MXene materials allow playing with the composition and functionalities of HP/Mx interfaces by applying rational designing and alterations. In this review a comprehensive study of implementing MXenes in perovskite solar cells is presented. First, the implementation of MXenes in perovskites as an additive, and then in charge extraction layers (HTL/ETL), is described in detail. It is worth noting that still only Ti 3 C 2 T x , Nb 2 CT x ,V 2 CT x MXene is being incorporated into perovskite photovoltaics. Finally, the present obstacles in the use of MXenes in PSCS are discussed, along with the future research potential. This review is expected to provide a complete and in-depth description of the current state of research and to open up new opportunities for the study of other MXenes in PSCs. The use of MXene materials in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) has attracted a great deal of attention in a relatively very short period of time.