Perovskite cell retains 95% efficiency after 1,000 hot-humid hours

A team from the Korea Institute of Energy Research and UNIST developed a catalyze-then-filter process for the short lifetime of regular-architecture perovskite cells. Nickel-oxide powder first promotes the needed reaction in the hole-transport layer and captures lithium ions, then is physically filtered out together with lithium-related byproducts, leaving a solution without residual lithium or volatile additives. Cells made this way retained 95% of initial efficiency after 1,000 hours at 85°C and 85% relative humidity. Power-conversion efficiency reached 25.24%, slightly above the 25.21% achieved with the conventional additive process. The work addresses one durability mechanism in laboratory devices; large modules, years of outdoor operation, manufacturing scale and cost still require validation.