Mai Cuc: Advancing Carbon-Based Printable Perovskite Solar Cells: Stability, Additive Engineering, and Indoor Energy Harvesting Applications: 3000 eur ( 2025)

Enhancing Efficiency and Stability of Carbon-Based Printable Perovskite Solar Cells Carbon-based printable perovskite solar cells (CPSCs) feature a fully printable structure in which the perovskite absorber is embedded in mesoporous metal oxides and carbon electrodes, offering advantages in cost, stability and scalability, making them strong candidates for commercialization. However, their efficiency remains lower than other perovskite solar cell architectures, and stability challenges have yet to be fully mitigated. My doctoral research explores strategies to address these limitations to advance CPSCs’ commercial viability.

In 2024, I focused on a super-repellent surface coating for CPSCs that effectively resists rain droplets and maintains stable device performance under humidity, enhancing their environmental robustness and operational lifetimes under practical working conditions. The coating is compatible with scalable, low-cost fabrication, highlighting its industrial applicability.

In 2025, my research finds that additive engineering of the perovskite using phosphonic acid–based additives effectively enhances CPSCs’ efficiency and stability. We uncover interactions between additive functional groups and the perovskite framework underlying these improvements and reveal the positive role of additive molecular design, particularly molecular length.

Overall, this doctoral research contributes to the development of low-cost, stable, and high-efficiency CPSCs using scalable fabrication techniques, enhancing their commercial feasibility and promoting the transition toward more sustainable photovoltaic technology, aligning with Finnish priorities on carbon neutrality and renewable energy deployment.

The Walter Ahlström Foundation’s support and recognition of the research’s impacts strengthened its advancement by enabling focused experimental work and timely progress toward publications and theses.

Completion.