Use of Recovered Carbon Black from Waste Tires in Triple Mesoscopic Stack Perovskite Solar Cells

This research addresses critical challenges in the photovoltaic (PV) industry to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, amidst geopolitical semiconductor supply risks and escalating volumes of PV waste. We demonstrate the opportunity to address these challenges through the design of PV cells which are compatible with a circular economy. In this proof-of-concept study, unpurified locally sourced recovered carbon black (rCB) from waste tires was integrated into the mesoporous carbon layer of triple mesoscopic perovskite solar cells as a sustainable alternative to virgin carbon sources, and comparable efficiencies (9.98%) to commercial carbon paste benchmarks (10.4%) were attained. Key findings reveal that the presence of sulfur, silica, and zinc oxide contaminants only affected performance and durability marginally. While sulfur enhanced perovskite crystallization, as evidenced by an increased fill factor, it potentially influenced the absorber's valence band maximum, slightly dropping the open-circuit voltage. Silica and zinc oxide exacerbated moisture ingress under UK weather conditions, as revealed by outdoor testing, which accelerated degradation post-breaching of the encapsulant. Such degradation could be mitigated through effective encapsulation. Although further research is crucial to maximize performance and device longevity, the feasibility of using locally sourced rCB in PV technology has been demonstrated. This approach could support regional energy resilience and sustainability objectives within a circular economy framework.