Electrospun NiO/carbon nanofiber hole transport layers for perovskite solar cell performance

Rapid technological advancement has increased energy consumption, environmental pollution, and climate change, necessitating sustainable sources of energy. Solar energy is appealing because it is renewable and has minimal environmental impact. However, the complex fabrication and high costs of conventional silicon solar cells have driven research into alternative technologies like perovskite solar cells (PSCs). This study investigates the use of electrospun nickel oxide (NiO)/carbon nanofibers as efficient hole-transporting layers in PSCs. NiO nanomaterials were synthesized via coprecipitation and integrated into polyvinyl alcohol nanofibers through electrospinning at an optimized concentration of 20 g/L, producing uniform nanofibers with mean (SD) diameter of 136 nm (20). The electrospun nanofibers were calcined to convert them into NiO/carbon nanofibers. The structural and chemical properties of nanofibers were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. These NiO-based nanofibers were used as hole-conducting layers in constructing fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)/titanium dioxide peroxide P25 (TiO₂)/perovskite/NiO-carbon/FTO solar cells, achieving a maximum efficiency of 5.96%. This research shows the potential of NiO-based hole-conducting layers in enhancing PSC efficiency. Optimizing NiO concentration and electrospinning time can significantly improve the conductive properties and performance of PSCs.