Engineers from the University of Surrey have announced the development of what they are calling a “cosmic veil” that could significantly extend the lifespan of next-generation perovskite solar cells used for energy generation in space by shielding them from damaging solar radiation.
The researchers believe the innovative protectant could provide mission planners with the option of equipping satellites and other spacecraft that require a constant supply of usable electricity with lighter, cheaper, and more energy-efficient solar panels that also last longer than traditional panels.
Engineers have utilized solar panels to generate electricity since the early twentieth century. However, traditional designs have faced limitations that have often hindered their widespread adoption in terrestrial applications. Nonetheless, solar panels remain the go-to power source for space missions due to their ability to generate power without requiring any onboard fuel. Unfortunately, the harsh environment of space can rapidly decrease their performance, leaving mission planners with a difficult choice.
More recently, scientists have developed a lighter, next-generation Perovskite solar cell that promises increased energy efficiency and durability over traditional designs. However, the Surrey scientists said they are still vulnerable to radiation and micrometeorite damage in the unforgiving environment of space.
“Perovskite solar cells are promising for space, but the various sources of radiation in our solar system are still a major threat – especially to the organic molecules that make them work,” explained Dr Jae Sung Yun, Lecturer in Energy Technology and co-author of this study, in a statement announcing the research.
Hoping to create a protective layer capable of staving off perovskite solar cell damage, Yun and fellow researchers from Surrey’s Advanced Technology Institute partnered with scientists at Oxford University, the University of New South Wales in Australia, and institutions across South Korea, including Chungbuk National University, Gyeongsang National University, and KRICT. Together, the team developed their self-described cosmic veil, a thin protective coating using propane-1,3-diammonium iodide (PDAI₂).
According to the statement, PDAI₂ works by “stabilising unstable molecules” in the perovskite cells. They explained that this protective effect should help protect them from “reacting and turning into gases like ammonia or hydrogen,” which would escape and weaken the cell if it had been left unprotected.
In lab tests designed to simulate over two decades of space environment exposure, perovskite solar panels covered with the protectant were exposed to high levels of proton radiation. Although other factors contribute to lowering solar cell lifetime and performance efficiency, the team’s simulations focused solely on the effects of the damaging, high-energy particles that make up the solar wind.
Following several rounds of tests, the team reported that the cells treated with the cosmic veil coating performed “far better” than the untreated control cells. The team also said further testing confirmed that the treated cells lost “significantly less efficiency” and revealed fewer signs of internal structural damage than the untreated ones, “thanks to the protective layer stopping harmful chemical reactions before they could take hold.”
“Our coating helps protect those fragile parts, stopping them from breaking down and helping the cells stay efficient for longer,” Yun said.
As the team celebrated the successful tests of the cosmic veil, Professor Ravi Silva, Director of the Advanced Technology Institute and Interim Director of the Surrey Institute for Sustainability at the University of Surrey, said the result of this many people working together in an international effort to achieve a common goal was a “brilliant example” of how cross-institute collaborations like this “can deliver real impact.”
“By bringing together expertise from the Advanced Technology Institute, the Surrey Ion Beam Centre, and the Institute for Sustainability, we’re able to tackle complex global challenges, like developing the next generation of clean energy technologies for space.”
The study “Enhancing radiation resilience of wide-band-gap perovskite solar cells for space applications via A-site cation stabilization with PDAI2” was published in Joule.
Christopher Plain is a Science Fiction and Fantasy novelist and Head Science Writer at The Debrief. Follow and connect with him on X, learn about his books at plainfiction.com, or email him directly at christopher@thedebrief.org.