Lead iodide can be used as a precursor material for perovskite solar cells. my country’s R&D enthusiasm is high

Lead iodide is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula PbI2. Lead iodide appears as bright yellow heavy powder or hexagonal scaly crystals, has no special odor, is soluble in sodium iodide and potassium iodide solutions, and is insoluble in ethanol and water. Lead iodide has the characteristics of high melting point and high boiling point, and is widely used in imaging, biomedicine, electronic manufacturing, optoelectronic devices and other fields.

Potassium iodide is the key raw material for the production of lead iodide. Potassium iodide is an inorganic compound that appears as colorless or white crystals and has a strong bitter and salty taste. Potassium iodide is a representative product of inorganic iodide, accounting for nearly 50% of the market share. In recent years, driven by positive factors such as strong market demand and improved technological innovation levels, my country’s potassium iodide production capacity has expanded rapidly and has become one of the world’s major producing countries. In 2022, my country’s potassium iodide production capacity will reach 236,000 tons, setting a record high. The sufficient supply of raw materials provides favorable conditions for the development of my country’s lead iodide industry.

According to the “2023-2028 China Lead Iodide Industry Market In-depth Research and Development Prospects Forecast Report released by the Industrial Research Center, Currently, the battery manufacturing field is the main demand side for lead iodide. Lead iodide has a porous structure and high crystallinity and can be used as a solar cell precursor material. In recent years, the prosperity of my country’s photovoltaic power generation industry has continued to improve, driving the growing demand for solar cells in the market. Perovskite solar cells are lead iodide end products with the advantages of high efficiency and low production costs, making them the solar cells with the greatest development potential. With the rapid development of downstream industries, the lead iodide market space will further expand.

​ ​ Benefiting from the improvement in technological innovation level of local enterprises, my country’s lead iodide industry has developed rapidly. In March 2023, CATL, my country’s largest battery manufacturer, announced the invention patent for “Preparation method of lead iodide, perovskite solar cells and electrical devices”. “Preparation method of lead iodide” refers to the separation of lead-containing compounds. And iodine-containing compounds are used as raw materials, and finished products can be obtained through heating, separation and other processes. This method can be used to produce high crystal orientation lead iodide.

Attracted by market prospects, my country’s enthusiasm for lead iodide research and development continues to rise. In 2021, the research team of Professor Zhao Qing of Peking University added excess lead iodide to the perovskite solar cell precursor to better exert the passivation effect of lead iodide and improve the stability and energy conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cells. Great improvement. In the future, as research continues to deepen, lead iodide will gain broad application prospects.

​​ ​​Wuhan Kmic Biomedicine, Zhongshan Dixin Chemical, Chengdu China National Building Materials, etc. are the main manufacturers of lead iodide in my country. Industry analysts said that benefiting from the increased prosperity of the perovskite solar cell industry, lead iodide is used as its precursor material, and the market Demand is growing. In the future, with in-depth research and technological advancement, the development prospects of my country’s lead iodide industry will be broader.