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Vol. 18 (2026)

Interfacial Coupling Design Enhancing Hole Transport in PTAA-Based Perovskite Solar Cells with Efficiency over 26%

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-026-02145-4
Huaiman Cao
State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, People’s Republic of China
Xufan Zheng
State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, People’s Republic of China
Yue Qiang
State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, People’s Republic of China
Liangyu Zhao
State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, People’s Republic of China
Yulong Chen
State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, People’s Republic of China
Zhiguang Sun
Instrumental Analysis Center, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, People’s Republic of China
Yingguo Yang
School of Microelectronics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People’s Republic of China
Hin‑Lap Yip
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, 999077, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China
Ze Yu
State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, People’s Republic of China

Corresponding Author: Ze Yu

ze.yu@dlut.edu.cn

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 18 (2026), Article Number: 287

Abstract

Constructing 2D/3D perovskite heterojunction is an effective method to improve performance and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), while the quantum well in 2D perovskites hinders carrier transport. To address this issue, π-conjugated semiconducting ligands have been introduced to enhance carrier-transfer capability of 2D perovskites. Here, two triphenylamine (TPA)-based ligands are specifically designed through π-extension with a fused (N-TPEAI) or covalently linked (P-TPEAI) benzene ring. For the first time, TPA semiconductor-based ligands have been incorporated to construct 2D/3D PSCs with poly[bis(4-phenyl)(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)amine] (PTAA) as hole-transport materials (HTMs). Combined experimental and computational analyses reveal that this π-conjugation extension strategy proves to be effective in strengthening intermolecular interactions both between the adjacent spacer cations within 2D perovskites and at perovskite/PTAA interfaces, particularly in the case of P-TPEAI. Ultimately, the resultant 2D/3D PSCs employing P-TPEAI achieve an outstanding efficiency of 26.13%, which, to the best of our knowledge, is the highest value reported for 2D/3D PSCs incorporating PTAA HTMs. Moreover, benefiting from the robustness of both 2D perovskites and PTAA, the corresponding devices also exhibit excellent light-heat stability, meeting ISOS-L-2 protocol. These findings provide important guidelines for future design of organic spacers in advancing efficient and robust PSCs and related optoelectronic devices.


Highlights:
1 Two triphenylamine-based semiconducting ligands, namely N-TPEAI and P-TPEAI, were designed by extending the π-conjugation, with structural similarities to the backbone of poly[bis(4-phenyl)(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)amine] (PTAA).
2 This π-conjugation extension strategy proves to be effective in strengthening intermolecular interactions both between adjacent spacer cations within 2D perovskites and at perovskite/PTAA interfaces.
3 The resultant 2D/3D perovskite solar cells (PSCs) employing P-TPEAI achieve an outstanding efficiency of 26.13%, which is the highest value reported for 2D/3D PSCs incorporating PTAA hole-transport layers.

Keywords

2D/3D perovskites Perovskite solar cells π-Conjugated ligands PTAA High efficiency
Cao, Huaiman, Xufan Zheng, Yue Qiang, Liangyu Zhao, Yulong Chen, Zhiguang Sun, Yingguo Yang, Hin‑Lap Yip, and Ze Yu. 2026. “Interfacial Coupling Design Enhancing Hole Transport in PTAA-Based Perovskite Solar Cells With Efficiency over 26%”. Nano-Micro Letters 18 (March):287. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-026-02145-4.
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