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A team of international researchers has made significant strides in enhancing the efficiency of perovskite solar cells using machine learning. Their recent study, published in the journal Science, reveals how AI was employed to discover new hole-transporting materials, which play a critical role in improving the overall performance of these solar cells.
Perovskite solar cells are gaining attention for their potential to offer high efficiency at a lower cost compared to traditional silicon-based cells. One of the key components in these cells is the hole-transporting layer, responsible for moving the electron-hole pairs generated when sunlight hits the semiconductor. The effectiveness of this transport directly affects the efficiency of the solar cell, making the material used in this layer crucial for achieving higher performance.
Until now, most effective hole-transporting materials have been discovered through a traditional trial-and-error approach. This new research marks a departure from that method, as the team applied machine learning to predict materials with superior transport properties. According to TechXplore, The researchers started with a dataset of over a million molecules, narrowing it down to 101 candidates. These molecules were used to build and test prototype solar cells, with results feeding back into the AI system. The algorithm then identified the 24 most promising materials.
After synthesizing these materials, the team incorporated them into working perovskite solar cells. The results were impressive: one of the new materials helped produce solar cells with an efficiency of 26.2%, just shy of the current record of 26.7%. This breakthrough demonstrates that AI can play a crucial role in advancing solar technology.
The research team also noted that several of the materials tested showed near-record performance, suggesting that their approach could lead to even more efficient candidates in the future. This development could pave the way for faster, more efficient material discovery in renewable energy, potentially pushing the boundaries of solar cell technology even further.
