Solar tire pressure monitoring relies on photoelectric conversion technology to convert solar energy into electricity. Its efficiency directly impacts device endurance and reliability. Optimizing photoelectric conversion efficiency requires coordinated advancement across multiple dimensions, including material innovation, structural design, optical management, and system integration. The following analyzes key technical pathways.
The development of new photoelectric conversion materials is crucial for improving efficiency. While traditional silicon-based materials are mature, potential for efficiency improvement is limited. Perovskite materials have become a research hotspot due to their high light absorption coefficient, tunable band gap, and low cost. By optimizing the perovskite layer composition and crystal structure, the efficiency of photogenerated carrier separation can be significantly improved. For example, the use of mixed-cation perovskites (such as formamidine-cesium systems) enhances material stability, while interface passivation reduces defect state density and suppresses non-radiative recombination losses. Furthermore, quantum dot materials, leveraging quantum confinement, can broaden the spectral response range. Forming a stacked structure with silicon-based materials further enhances the capture of short-wavelength photons.
Innovative cell structure is crucial for improving efficiency. Multi-junction tandem cells utilize a layered design, enabling spectral splitting to utilize light in different layers while absorbing specific wavelengths. For example, perovskite/silicon tandem cells can achieve theoretical efficiencies exceeding 40%, far exceeding the limits of single-junction cells. Back-contact structures (such as heterojunction HJT cells) improve light absorption by reducing the area shielded by the front electrode. Flexible thin-film cells are suitable for curved tire monitoring modules. By optimizing nanowire arrays or organic semiconductor materials, they enhance photoelectric performance while maintaining lightweight.
Optical management technologies maximize light energy capture. Anti-reflection coatings, through multi-layer dielectric film designs, reduce surface reflectivity to below 5%, significantly increasing the amount of transmitted light. Surface texturing technologies (such as nanocone arrays) utilize light scattering to extend the optical path, causing light to reflect multiple times within the material, improving absorption efficiency. Photonic crystal structures manipulate the optical band gap to achieve directional transmission of light at specific wavelengths, reducing transmission losses. These technologies require customized design based on the specific shape and installation angle of the tire monitoring module.
Interface engineering and defect control are key to improving efficiency. Lattice defects, impurities, and interface dislocations in the material can serve as carrier recombination centers, resulting in energy loss. Interface passivation achieved through chemical or physical methods, such as introducing a thin passivation film between the perovskite layer and the transport layer, can reduce the probability of interfacial recombination. Furthermore, optimizing the energy level matching between the electron transport layer (ETL) and the hole transport layer (HTL) reduces carrier transport resistance and improves collection efficiency.
The maturity of the manufacturing process directly impacts mass production efficiency. Film thickness, grain size, and deposition rate must be precisely controlled to ensure consistency across large-area devices. Low-temperature fabrication techniques (such as solution-based methods) can reduce energy consumption, but the effects of humidity and temperature on material stability must be addressed. Encapsulation processes, through waterproof and moisture-proof coatings and all-solid-state structures, extend the device's outdoor lifespan and reduce efficiency degradation caused by environmental corrosion.
System-level optimization can improve overall performance. Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) technology ensures optimal battery voltage operation by adjusting the load in real time, reducing energy loss. Intelligent energy management systems, incorporating tire condition monitoring requirements, dynamically allocate power to prioritize critical functions. Furthermore, bifacial photovoltaic cells can utilize both direct and reflected light, increasing power generation in complex tire lighting environments. The integration of laminated cells and flexible electronics technology promises to bring breakthroughs to solar tire pressure monitoring. Through the coordinated development of material innovation, structural optimization, and system integration, photovoltaic conversion efficiency is expected to continue to improve, driving the widespread application of this technology in intelligent transportation.
