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Understanding the function of moisture on perovskite is challenging since the random environmental moisture strongly disturbs the perovskite structure. Here, we develop various N 2 -protected characterization techniques to comprehensively study the effect of moisture on the efficient cesium, methylammonium, and formamidinium triple-cation perovskite (Cs 0.05 FA 0.75 MA 0.20 )Pb(I 0.96 Br 0.04 ) 3 . In contrast to the secondary measurements, the established air-exposure-free techniques allow us directly monitor the influence of moisture during perovskite crystallization. We find a controllable moisture treatment for the intermediate perovskite can promote the mass transportation of organic salts, and help them enter the buried bottom of the films. This process accelerates the quasi-solid-solid reaction between organic salts and PbI 2 , enables a spatially homogeneous intermediate phase, and translates to high-quality perovskites with much-suppressed defects. Consequently, we obtain a champion device efficiency of approaching 24% with negligible hysteresis. The devices exhibit an average T 80 -lifetime of 852 h (maximum 1210 h) working at the maximum power point. Perovskite structure is disturbed by environmental moisture, limiting the device performance. Here, Wei et al. monitor the effect of moisture during the growth by N 2 -protected characterization techniques, and obtain an operationally stable perovskite solar cell with efficiency approaching 24%.

Highly efficient perovskite solar cells (PSCs) in the n-i-p structure have demonstrated limited operational lifetimes, primarily due to the layer-to-layer ion diffusion in the perovskite/doped hole-transport layer (HTL) heterojunction, leading to conductivity drop in HTL and component loss in perovskite. Herein, we introduce an ultrathin (~7 nm) p-type polymeric interlayer (D18) with excellent ion-blocking ability between perovskite and HTL to address these issues. The ultrathin D18 interlayer effectively inhibits the layer-to-layer diffusion of lithium, methylammonium, formamidium, and iodide ions. Additionally, D18 improves the energy-level alignment at the perovskite/HTL interface and facilitates efficient hole extraction. The resulting PSCs achieve efficiencies of 26.39 (certified 26.17) and 25.02% with aperture areas of 0.12 and 1.00 square centimeters, respectively. Remarkably, the devices retain 95.4% of the initial efficiency after 1100 hours of operation in maximum power point tracking, representing significant stability advancements for high-efficiency n-i-p PSCs. The operational lifetimes of n-i-p perovskite solar cells have been limited by the layer-to layer ion diffusion in the perovskite/hole-transport layer heterojunction. Here, the authors introduce an ultrathin p-type polymeric interlayer and achieve a certified efficiency of 26.17% in stable devices.

Wide-bandgap perovskite solar cells (WBG-PSCs) are critical for developing perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells. The defect-rich surface of WBG-PSCs will lead to severe interfacial carrier loss and phase segregation, deteriorating the device’s performance. Herein, we develop a surface reconstruction method by removing the defect-rich crystal surface by nano-polishing and then passivating the newly exposed high-crystallinity surface. This method can refresh the perovskite/electron-transporter interface and release the residual lattice strain, improving the charge collection and inhibiting the ion migration of WBG perovskites. As a result, we can achieve certified efficiencies of 23.67% and 21.70% for opaque and semi-transparent PSCs via a 1.67-eV perovskite absorber. Moreover, we achieve four-terminal perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells with a certified efficiency of 33.10% on an aperture area of one square centimeter. The defect-rich surface of wide-bandgap perovskite solar cells leads to severe interfacial carrier loss and phase segregation. Here, the authors reconstruct the surface through nano-polishing followed by passivation, achieving certified efficiency of 33.1% for perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells.

Constructing 2D/3D perovskite heterojunctions is effective for the surface passivation of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, previous reports that studying perovskite post-treatment only physically deposits 2D perovskite on the 3D perovskite, and the bulk 3D perovskite remains defective. Herein, we propose Cl 2 -dissolved chloroform as a multifunctional solvent for concurrently constructing 2D/3D perovskite heterojunction and inducing the secondary growth of the bulk grains. The mechanism of how Cl 2 affects the performance of PSCs is clarified. Specifically, the dissolved Cl 2 reacts with the 3D perovskite, leading to Cl/I ionic exchange and Ostwald ripening of the bulk grains. The generated Cl − further diffuses to passivate the bulk crystal and buried interface of PSCs. Hexylammonium bromide dissolved in the solvent reacts with the residual PbI 2 to form 2D/3D heterojunctions on the surface. As a result, we achieved high-performance PSCs with a champion efficiency of 24.21% and substantially improved thermal, ambient, and operational stability. Constructing 2D/3D perovskite heterojunctions is effective for the surface passivation of perovskite solar cells. Here, the authors apply Cl 2 -dissolved chloroform as a multifunctional solvent and achieve a champion device efficiency of 24.21% with improved thermal, ambient and operational stability.

Microcystin–LR (MC-LR) and phenanthrene (Phen), which commonly co-occur in eutrophic waters, have been extensively studied as individual contaminants, but their combined ecotoxicological effects on submerged macrophytes remain unclear. In this study, we examined the individual and combined toxicity of MC-LR (2, 10, 50, 250, and 1000 μg/L) and Phen (0.2, 1, 5, 25, and 100 μg/L) on the submerged macrophyte Vallisneria natans over a 7-day exposure. Key toxicity biomarkers, including growth, photosynthetic efficiency, and antioxidant responses (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione S-transferase, and malondialdehyde), were evaluated. The results showed that high concentrations of each contaminant alone (MC-LR ≥ 1000 μg/L; Phen ≥ 100 μg/L) significantly inhibited growth and reduced photosynthetic efficiency. In contrast, synergistic toxicity was observed at much lower combined concentrations (≥50 + 5 μg/L), with effects substantially exceeding those of individual exposures. Co-exposure intensified antioxidant activity, but it was insufficient to mitigate oxidative damage. Notably, Phen at concentrations above 25 μg/L significantly enhanced the bioaccumulation of MC-LR in V. natans. These findings demonstrate that environmentally relevant mixtures of MC-LR and Phen induce remarkable toxicity even at concentrations where individual compounds show negligible effects. The results highlight that co-existing cyanotoxins and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons may present greater ecological risks than predicted from single-contaminant assessments, underscoring the need to update current ecological risk frameworks for the accurate evaluation of complex pollution scenarios in freshwater systems.

Red blood cell (RBC) deformability is a critical biophysical property that enables effective passage of RBCs through microvasculature and ensures proper oxygen delivery. Impairment of this property is associated with various pathological conditions, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In this study, we developed an automated microfluidic platform for high-throughput and real-time assessment of RBC deformability under controlled flow conditions. The device features a structured microchannel design and integrated imaging to quantify individual cell deformation responses. Comparative analyses of RBCs from healthy individuals and T2DM patients revealed significant reductions in deformability in the diabetic group. In vivo validation using a diabetic mouse model further confirmed the progressive decline in RBC deformability under chronic hyperglycemia. This microfluidic approach provides a robust and efficient tool for characterizing RBC mechanical properties, offering potential for disease monitoring and clinical diagnostic applications.

The frequent occurrence of microcystins (MCs) in freshwater poses serious threats to the drinking water safety and health of human beings. Although MCs have been detected in individual fresh waters in China, little is known about their occurrence over a large geographic scale. An investigation of 30 subtropical lakes in eastern China was performed during summer 2018 to determine the MCs concentrations in water and their possible risk via direct water consumption to humans, and to assess the associated environmental factors. MCs were detected in 28 of 30 lakes, and the highest mean MCs concentrations occurred in Lake Chaohu (26.7 μg/L), followed by Lake Taihu (3.11 μg/L). MC-LR was the primary variant observed in our study, and MCs were mainly produced by Microcystis , Anabaena ( Dolicospermum ), and Oscillatoria in these lakes. Replete nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, irradiance, and stable water column conditions were critical for dominance of MC-producing cyanobacteria and high MCs production in our study. Hazard quotients indicated that human health risk of MCs in most lakes was at moderate or low levels except Lakes Chaohu and Taihu. Nutrient control management is recommended to decrease the likelihood of high MCs production. Finally, we recommend the regional scale thresholds of total nitrogen and total phosphorus concentrations of 1.19 mg/L and 7.14 × 10 −2  mg/L, respectively, based on the drinking water guideline of MC-LR (1 μg/L) recommended by World Health Organization. These targets for nutrient control will aid water quality managers to reduce human health risks created by exposure to MCs.

Digital twins (DTs) have seen widespread application across industries, enabling deep integration of cyber–physical systems. However, previous research has largely focused on domain-specific DTs and lacks a universal, cross-industry modeling framework, resulting in high development costs and low reusability. To address these challenges, this study proposes a DT modeling method based on hierarchical decoupling and topological connections. First, the system is decomposed top–down into three levels—system, subsystem, and component—through hierarchical functional decoupling, reducing system complexity and supporting independent component development. Second, a method for constructing component-level DTs using standardized information sets is introduced, employing the JSON-LD language to uniformly describe and encapsulate component information. Finally, a topological connection mechanism abstracts the relationships between components into an adjacency matrix and assembles components and subsystems bottom–up using graph theory, ultimately forming the system-level DT. The effectiveness of the proposed method was validated using a typical surface water purification system as a case study, where the system was decomposed into four functional subsystems and 12 types of components. Experimental results demonstrate that the method efficiently enables automated integration of DTs from standardized components to subsystems and the complete system. Compared with conventional monolithic modeling approaches, it significantly reduces system complexity, supports efficient component development, and accelerates system integration. For example, when the number of components exceeds 300, the proposed method generates topology connections 44.69% faster than direct information set traversal. Consequently, this approach provides a novel and effective solution to the challenges of low reusability and limited generality in DT models, laying a theoretical foundation and offering technical support for establishing a universal cross-industry DT modeling framework.

Carrier recombination at the buried SnO2/perovskite interface limits the efficiency and stability of n‐i‐p‐structured perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein, we report an In2O3 interfacial layer with the distinctive structure of the monolithic compact/nanostructured bilayer. The partial hydrolysis nature of the In3+ ion enables the formation of nanorods on top of the compact In2O3 layer when spin‐coating the In(NO3)3 aqueous solution. This novel interfacial layer reduces the pinholes of the SnO2 film and increases the contact area between the perovskite and electron transport material. Therefore, PSCs with the incorporation of the interfacial layer demonstrate enhanced electron extraction and suppressed carrier recombination. Consequently, the champion device achieves a power conversion efficiency of 23.87% with a high fill factor of 82.14%. The optimized device also shows robust operational stability, retaining over 80% of the initial power conversion efficiency after working at the maximum power point for over 500 h under continuous one‐sun illumination. Bilayered In2O3 interfacial layer with the distinctive structure of compact‐In2O3/nanostructured‐In2O3 is incorporated into the SnO2/perovskite interface to improve the charge extraction and suppress the nonradiative recombination. The novel interfacial layer enables perovskite solar cells with 23.87% efficiency and robust operational stability that retains over 80% of the initial power conversion efficiency after working at the maximum power point for over 500 h.

HighlightsThree bulky cation chlorides (PMACl, PEACl and NMACl) are used to modify the perovskite surface and form pure-anion 2D (PMA)2PbCl4, mixed-anion 2D (PEA)2Pb(IxCl4-x), and non-2D NMAI passivation layers, respectively.Intermolecular interactions between the bulky cations and the strength of cation-halide hydrogen bonds are critical to forming the three distinct passivation layers.Semi-transparent wide-bandgap perovskite solar cells (WBG-PSCs) with ITO as the back electrode show hysteresis-free PCE of 18.60% and VOC deficit of 0.49 V.Wide-bandgap (WBG) perovskite solar cells suffer from severe non-radiative recombination and exhibit relatively large open-circuit voltage (VOC) deficits, limiting their photovoltaic performance. Here, we address these issues by in-situ forming a well-defined 2D perovskite (PMA)2PbCl4 (phenmethylammonium is referred to as PMA) passivation layer on top of the WBG active layer. The 2D layer with highly pure dimensionality and halide components is realized by intentionally tailoring the side-chain substituent at the aryl ring of the post-treatment reagent. First-principle calculation and single-crystal X-ray diffraction results reveal that weak intermolecular interactions between bulky PMA cations and relatively low cation-halide hydrogen bonding strength are crucial in forming the well-defined 2D phase. The (PMA)2PbCl4 forms improved type-I energy level alignment with the WBG perovskite, reducing the electron recombination at the perovskite/hole-transport-layer interface. Applying this strategy in fabricating semi-transparent WBG perovskite solar cells (indium tin oxide as the back electrode), the VOC deficits can be reduced to 0.49 V, comparable with the reported state-of-the-art WBG perovskite solar cells using metal electrodes. Consequently, we obtain hysteresis-free 18.60%-efficient WBG perovskite solar cells with a high VOC of 1.23 V.