Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) have recently emerged as excellent hole transport materials in inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs) owing to their ability to minimize parasitic absorption, regulate energy level alignment, and passivate perovskite defects. Herein, we design and synthesize a novel dimethyl acridine-based SAM, [2-(9,10-dihydro-9,9-dimethylacridine-10-yl)ethyl]phosphonic acid (2PADmA), and employ it as a hole-transporting layer in inverted PSCs. Experimental results show that the 2PADmA SAM can modulate perovskite crystallization, facilitate carrier transport, passivate perovskite defects, and reduce nonradiative recombination. Consequently, the 2PADmA-based device achieves an enhanced power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 24.01% and an improved fill factor (FF) of 83.92% compared to the commonly reported [2-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)ethyl] phosphonic acid (2PACz)-based control device with a PCE of 22.32% and FF of 78.42%, while both devices exhibit comparable open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current density. In addition, 2PADmA-based devices exhibit outstanding dark storage and thermal stabilities, retaining approximately ~98% and 87% of their initial PCEs after 1080 h of dark storage and 400 h of heating at 85 °C, respectively, both considerably superior to the control device.

All-inorganic CsPbI_3–xBr_x perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are advantageous in terms of high thermal stability, while its efficiency lags behind those of organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite counterparts. Defect passivations have been extensively applied for enhancing efficiency of all-inorganic PSCs, which are mainly based on univocal defect passivation of perovskite layer. Herein, we incorporated a bis-dimethylamino-functionalized fullerene derivative (abbreviated as PCBDMAM) as an interlayer between ZnO electron transport layer (ETL) and all-inorganic CsPbI_2.25Br_0.75 perovskite layer, accomplishing synchronous defect passivations of both layers and consequently dramatic enhancements of efficiency and thermal stability of PSC devices. Upon spin-coating PCBDMAM onto ZnO ETL, the surface defects of ZnO especially oxygen vacancies can be effectively passivated due to the formation of Zn−N ionic bonds. In addition, PCBDMAM incorporation affords effective passivation of Pb_I and I_Pb antisite defects within the atop perovskite layer as well via coordination bonding with Pb²⁺. As a result, the regular-structure planar CsPbI_2.25Br_0.75 PSC device delivers a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 17.04%, which surpasses that of the control device (15.44%). Moreover, the PCBDMAM-incorporated PSC device maintains ~ 80% of its initial PCE after 600 h heating at 85 °C hot plate in N₂ atmosphere, whereas PCE of the control device degrades rapidly to ~ 62% after 460 h heating under identical conditions. Hence, PCBDMAM incorporation benefited dramatic improvement of the thermal stability of PSC device.

Porous carbon materials play essential roles in electrocatalysis and electrochemical energy storage. It is of significant importance to rationally design and tune their porous structure and active sites for achieving high electrochemical activity and stability. Herein, we develop a novel approach to tune the morphology of porous carbon materials (PCM) by embedding fullerene C₆₀, achieving improved performance of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery. Owing to the strong interaction between C₆₀ and imidazole moieties, pomegranate-like hybrid of C₆₀-embedded zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-67) precursor is synthesized, which is further pyrolyzed to form C₆₀-embedded cobalt/nitrogen-codoped porous carbon materials (abbreviated as C₆₀@Co-N-PCM). Remarkably, the unique structure of C₆₀@Co-N-PCM offers excellent ORR electrocatalytic activity and stability in alkaline solutions, outperforming the commercial Pt/C (20 wt.%) catalyst. Besides, C₆₀@Co-N-PCM as a novel cathode delivers a high specific capacity of ~ 900 mAh·g^-1 at 0.2 C rate in Li-S batteries, which is superior to the pristine ZIF-67-derived PCM without embedding C₆₀.