Perovskite Grains Embraced in a Soft Fullerene Network Make Highly Efficient Flexible Solar Cells with Superior Mechanical Stability

Halide perovskite films processed from solution at low-temperature offer promising opportunities to make flexible solar cells. However, the brittleness of perovskite films is an issue for mechanical stability in flexible devices. Herein, photo-crosslinked [6,6]-phenylC61-butyric oxetane dendron ester (C-PCBOD) is used to improve the mechanical stability of methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) perovskite films. Also, it is demonstrated that C-PCBOD passivates the grain boundaries, which reduces the formation of trap states and enhances the environmental stability of MAPbI3. Thus, MAPbI3 perovskite solar cells are prepared on solid and flexible substrates with record efficiencies of 20.4% and 18.1%, respectively, which are among the highest ever reported for MAPbI3 on both flexible and solid substrates. The result of this work provides a step improvement toward stable and efficient flexible perovskite solar cells.