Decoding Polymeric Additive-Driven Self-Healing Processes in Perovskite Solar Cells from Chemical and Physical Bonding Perspectives

Abstract

This review addresses the self-healing effects in perovskite solar cells (PSCs), emphasizing the significance of chemical and physical bonding as core mechanisms. Polymeric additives play a vital role in inducing self-healing phenomena along with the intrinsic properties of perovskite materials, both of which are discussed herein. As a relatively underexplored area, the self-healing effect induced by polymeric additives in PSCs is reviewed from a chemical perspective. The chemical bonds involved in self-healing include isocyanate, disulfide, and carboxylic acid groups. The physical bonds related to self-healing effects are primarily hydrogen bonding and chelation. Self-healing in flexible perovskite devices extends their lifespan and improves their mechanical robustness against environmental and mechanical stressors. This discussion delves into the initiation methods for self-healing, the conditions required, and the recovery-rate profiles. This review not only catalogs various approaches to self-healing, but also considers the fundamental limitations and potential of this phenomenon in PSCs. In addition, insights and an outlook on self-healing in perovskite-based optoelectronics are provided, offering guidance for future research and applications.