A new "cosmic veil" developed by engineers at the University of Surrey can help perovskite solar cells survive in space, opening a new path for providing lighter, cheaper, and more efficient solar power for satellites and spacecraft.
Perovskite solar cells are the next-generation lightweight, low-cost solar technology. They are easier to manufacture than traditional solar panels and have a longer service life, but they are still easily damaged under harsh space conditions.
Researchers from the Advanced Technology Institute at the University of Surrey, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Oxford, the University of New South Wales in Australia, and institutions including Chungbuk National University, Gyeongsang National University, and the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT) in South Korea, prepared a thin protective coating using propane-1,3-diammonium diiodide (PDAI₂). The study has been published in the journal Joule.
Dr. Jae Sung Yun, Lecturer in Energy Technology at the University of Surrey and co-author of the study, said: "Perovskite solar cells have broad prospects in the space sector, but various radiation sources in the solar system remain a major threat, especially to the organic molecules that make them work. Our coating helps protect these fragile components, prevent them from decomposing, and helps the cells maintain efficiency for a longer time."
To test the effectiveness of the coating, the research team exposed both treated and untreated cells to high levels of proton radiation — simulating more than 20 years of exposure in low Earth orbit. The treated cells performed better. Because the protective layer prevents harmful chemical reactions before they occur, their efficiency loss was significantly reduced, and there were fewer signs of internal damage. PDAI₂ works by stabilizing unstable molecules, preventing them from reacting and turning into gases such as ammonia or hydrogen, which would otherwise escape and weaken the cell.
Professor Ravi Silva, Director of the Advanced Technology Institute at the University of Surrey and Acting Director of the Surrey Institute for Sustainability, said: "This project is an outstanding example of how cross-institutional collaboration can produce real impact. By integrating the expertise of the Advanced Technology Institute, the Surrey Ion Beam Centre, and the Surrey Institute for Sustainability, we were able to address complex global challenges, such as developing next-generation clean energy technologies for space."
