UNSW researchers have patented a photostable dye coating based on dipyrrolonaphthyridinedione (DPND) that uses singlet fission to boost silicon photovoltaic performance. The team estimates DPND coatings could push module efficiencies beyond 30% (potentially up to ~42%), lower operating temperatures by around 36°C and extend panel life by roughly 4.5 years. The approach aims to raise output without the cost and complexity of tandem cells and may also enable manufacturing diagnostics via singlet-fission photoluminescence.
UNSW Patents Dye Coating That Could Push Silicon Solar Efficiency Past 30% — 'This Opens the Door'
UNSW researchers have patented a photostable dye coating based on dipyrrolonaphthyridinedione (DPND) that uses singlet fission to boost silicon photovoltaic performance. The team estimates DPND coatings could push module efficiencies beyond 30% (potentially up to ~42%), lower operating temperatures by around 36°C and extend panel life by roughly 4.5 years. The approach aims to raise output without the cost and complexity of tandem cells and may also enable manufacturing diagnostics via singlet-fission photoluminescence.
07:16 PM, 11/10/2025Technology
Researchers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have filed patents for a new dye coating that could significantly improve conventional silicon solar panels by using a process called singlet fission, according to pv magazine.
What the team found
The UNSW group reports that a photostable molecule, dipyrrolonaphthyridinedione (DPND), can be applied as a thin dye coating on silicon photovoltaic cells to enhance energy conversion. In lab estimates the researchers say singlet-fission coatings based on DPND could raise module efficiencies beyond 30% and possibly as high as ~42%, while also reducing operating temperatures and extending panel lifetime. Patents have been filed for the approach.
How singlet fission works
Most silicon solar cells convert a single absorbed photon into one electron–hole pair. Singlet fission allows one high-energy photon to generate two excited electron–hole pairs, effectively increasing the usable output from the higher-energy (bluer) portion of the solar spectrum. The UNSW team says this could boost real-world performance without the added cost and complexity of tandem cells.
Stability and practicality
The researchers contrast DPND with tetracene, a molecule previously used to demonstrate singlet fission but found to be photochemically unstable and unsuitable for commercial deployment. DPND is described as photostable and compatible with large-scale coating processes, which is why the team believes industry trials are feasible.
"Crucially, we've developed a practical pathway to higher output silicon solar cells, without the cost and complexity of tandems, that industry can now trial,"
— Professor Ekins-Daukes, quoted by pv magazine.
Potential benefits and caveats
The team estimates the coating could lower operating temperatures by roughly 36°C, potentially extending panel lifetime by about 4.5 years. Higher efficiency modules would require fewer panels for the same energy output, reducing balance-of-system costs and enabling applications in space-constrained rooftops, electric-vehicle charging and building-integrated photovoltaics. These performance figures are laboratory estimates and will need validation in field trials and mass-manufacturing conditions.
Manufacturing and diagnostics
UNSW researchers also highlight that photoluminescence from singlet fission is linked to underlying molecular dynamics. This relationship could be used for in-line monitoring or diagnostics during manufacturing, helping manufacturers optimize coatings and quality-control processes.
What this means for consumers
If commercialized, DPND singlet-fission coatings could make rooftop and integrated solar installations more productive and space-efficient. Homeowners and businesses considering upgrades can use resources such as EnergySage to compare vetted installers and quotes, but widespread availability will depend on successful industry trials and scaling of the coating process.
Source: pv magazine (reporting on UNSW research). The figures reported are the researchers' estimates and should be interpreted as potential outcomes pending independent verification.