A newly developed molecule could make solar panels more powerful and more durable, according to a new international study published in Science.
The research, involving scientists from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), focused on improving perovskite solar cells—a next-generation solar technology known for being cheap and highly efficient.
The key to the breakthrough is a synthetic molecule called CPMAC, which is made from a form of carbon known as buckminsterfullerene, or C₆₀.
For over a decade, C₆₀ has played a major role in making perovskite solar cells more efficient.
However, it has a downside: the way it bonds to other parts of the cell is weak, which can lead to faster wear and tear, especially under heat and humidity.
To solve this problem, the team designed CPMAC, a modified version of C₆₀. Unlike the original, CPMAC forms stronger ionic bonds with the perovskite layer in the cell. These bonds are more stable and prevent the materials from breaking down as quickly.
As a result, solar cells built with CPMAC were not only more stable, but also slightly more efficient.
The improvement in power conversion efficiency—a measure of how much sunlight a cell can turn into usable electricity—was about 0.6% higher than the standard C₆₀ version. While that might seem like a small boost, it can make a big difference when applied to large-scale solar farms. For example, a 1-gigawatt solar power plant using this technology could generate enough extra electricity to power around 5,000 additional homes.
Durability was another major win. When both types of solar cells were tested under high heat and humidity for over 2,000 hours, the CPMAC-based cells lost only one-third the efficiency that the C₆₀-based cells did. When combined into small solar panel modules, the CPMAC cells continued to outperform their traditional counterparts.
The improvement comes down to chemistry. While C₆₀ connects to the perovskite layer with relatively weak forces known as van der Waals bonds, CPMAC forms stronger ionic bonds. These sturdier connections help reduce defects and keep the cells functioning for longer.
This development could be a big step forward for making perovskite solar technology more reliable and ready for everyday use in real-world conditions. With continued research and scaling, this single molecule could help power more homes, more efficiently, for years to come.
