Octopus molecule saves perovskite solar cells from oxygen

Perovskite solar cells, promising for their high efficiency, low cost, and lightweight nature, have been hindered by rapid degradation caused by oxygen trapped inside the cells. When sunlight generates energetic electrons in the perovskite layer, these electrons react with oxygen to form superoxide radicals, which aggressively damage the organic molecules that maintain the crystal structure. This degradation often initiates at the interface between the perovskite and the tin-dioxide layer, a critical junction for electron extraction. Conventional encapsulation methods fail to fully prevent this damage because oxygen is often trapped during manufacturing and tin dioxide surfaces contain oxygen-related defects that facilitate internal degradation. A recent study by researchers from the Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology and the Korea Institute of Science and Technology introduces an innovative solution inspired by marine biology: an ultrathin layer of taurine, a sulfur-containing amino acid found in octopus and squid, placed at the vulnerable perovskite/tin dioxide interface. Taurine