DMSO-free solvent for high efficiency perovskite solar cells

Changzeng Ding; Yongqi Sun; Lianping Zhang; Qing Zhang; Ronald Österbacka; Chang Qi Ma

doi:10.1016/j.mtener.2025.102122

DMSO-free solvent for high efficiency perovskite solar cells

Changzeng Ding^*
, Yongqi Sun
, Lianping Zhang
, Qing Zhang
, Ronald Österbacka
, Chang Qi Ma^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

Abstract

Solvent engineering is critical for optimizing perovskite solar cell performance. While DMSO is widely used to control crystallization, its high boiling point often leaves residual solvent, leading to interfacial issues and reduced stability. In this work, we replace DMSO with trifluoropropyltrichlorosilane (TFPS) as a novel additive in DMF to address these challenges. TFPS incorporation introduces microstructural voids in PbI₂ films, enhancing ammonium halide infiltration and promoting the formation of larger perovskite grains. TOF-SIMS depth profiling shows that TFPS accumulates at the buried interface, improving film density, as supported by SEM results. Devices fabricated with TFPS-doped DMF exhibit improved performance, achieving a power conversion efficiency of 24.49 %, outperforming those made with pure DMF or DMF:DMSO. Impedance spectroscopy and Mott-Schottky analysis confirm that TFPS enhances interfacial charge properties, increasing built-in potential and reducing recombination. This study demonstrates a promising DMSO-free solvent strategy to improve perovskite film quality and device efficiency.

Original language	English
Article number	102122
Journal	Materials Today Energy
Volume	54
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtener.2025.102122
Publication status	Published - Dec 2025
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Funding

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support from National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 22409208 ), the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China (No. 2023YFB4204504 ), Jiangsu Science and Technology Program ( BE2022023 ), Science and Technology Program of Suzhou ( SWY2022004 ). C.Z acknowledges funding from the Magnus Ehrnrooth Foundation . We would also like to thank the technical support for Nano-X from Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics , Chinese Academy of Science.

Keywords

DMSO free
PSCs
Solvent engineering
TFPS

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title = "DMSO-free solvent for high efficiency perovskite solar cells",

abstract = "Solvent engineering is critical for optimizing perovskite solar cell performance. While DMSO is widely used to control crystallization, its high boiling point often leaves residual solvent, leading to interfacial issues and reduced stability. In this work, we replace DMSO with trifluoropropyltrichlorosilane (TFPS) as a novel additive in DMF to address these challenges. TFPS incorporation introduces microstructural voids in PbI2 films, enhancing ammonium halide infiltration and promoting the formation of larger perovskite grains. TOF-SIMS depth profiling shows that TFPS accumulates at the buried interface, improving film density, as supported by SEM results. Devices fabricated with TFPS-doped DMF exhibit improved performance, achieving a power conversion efficiency of 24.49 \%, outperforming those made with pure DMF or DMF:DMSO. Impedance spectroscopy and Mott-Schottky analysis confirm that TFPS enhances interfacial charge properties, increasing built-in potential and reducing recombination. This study demonstrates a promising DMSO-free solvent strategy to improve perovskite film quality and device efficiency.",

keywords = "DMSO free, PSCs, Solvent engineering, TFPS",

author = "Changzeng Ding and Yongqi Sun and Lianping Zhang and Qing Zhang and Ronald {\"O}sterbacka and Ma, \{Chang Qi\}",

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year = "2025",

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doi = "10.1016/j.mtener.2025.102122",

language = "English",

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T1 - DMSO-free solvent for high efficiency perovskite solar cells

AU - Ding, Changzeng

AU - Sun, Yongqi

AU - Zhang, Lianping

AU - Zhang, Qing

AU - Österbacka, Ronald

AU - Ma, Chang Qi

PY - 2025/12

Y1 - 2025/12

N2 - Solvent engineering is critical for optimizing perovskite solar cell performance. While DMSO is widely used to control crystallization, its high boiling point often leaves residual solvent, leading to interfacial issues and reduced stability. In this work, we replace DMSO with trifluoropropyltrichlorosilane (TFPS) as a novel additive in DMF to address these challenges. TFPS incorporation introduces microstructural voids in PbI2 films, enhancing ammonium halide infiltration and promoting the formation of larger perovskite grains. TOF-SIMS depth profiling shows that TFPS accumulates at the buried interface, improving film density, as supported by SEM results. Devices fabricated with TFPS-doped DMF exhibit improved performance, achieving a power conversion efficiency of 24.49 %, outperforming those made with pure DMF or DMF:DMSO. Impedance spectroscopy and Mott-Schottky analysis confirm that TFPS enhances interfacial charge properties, increasing built-in potential and reducing recombination. This study demonstrates a promising DMSO-free solvent strategy to improve perovskite film quality and device efficiency.

AB - Solvent engineering is critical for optimizing perovskite solar cell performance. While DMSO is widely used to control crystallization, its high boiling point often leaves residual solvent, leading to interfacial issues and reduced stability. In this work, we replace DMSO with trifluoropropyltrichlorosilane (TFPS) as a novel additive in DMF to address these challenges. TFPS incorporation introduces microstructural voids in PbI2 films, enhancing ammonium halide infiltration and promoting the formation of larger perovskite grains. TOF-SIMS depth profiling shows that TFPS accumulates at the buried interface, improving film density, as supported by SEM results. Devices fabricated with TFPS-doped DMF exhibit improved performance, achieving a power conversion efficiency of 24.49 %, outperforming those made with pure DMF or DMF:DMSO. Impedance spectroscopy and Mott-Schottky analysis confirm that TFPS enhances interfacial charge properties, increasing built-in potential and reducing recombination. This study demonstrates a promising DMSO-free solvent strategy to improve perovskite film quality and device efficiency.

KW - DMSO free

KW - PSCs

KW - Solvent engineering

KW - TFPS

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105025717747

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DO - 10.1016/j.mtener.2025.102122

M3 - Article

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SN - 2468-6069

VL - 54

JO - Materials Today Energy

JF - Materials Today Energy

M1 - 102122

ER -

DMSO-free solvent for high efficiency perovskite solar cells

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Keywords

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