Simple Strategies Deployed for Developing Efficient and Stable Solution Processed Quantum Dot Solar Cells

Inorganic quantum dot (QD) semiconductors offer tailorable bandgaps thus rendering them to be attractive as photosensitizers for solar cells. The currently evolving strategies employed for developing low-cost quantum dot solar...

CsPbI3 Perovskite Quantum Dot Solar Cells: Opportunities, Progress and Challenges

Due to rapid increase in population, total electricity demands have been quickly rising. Under this circumstance, renewable energy technologies such as photovoltaic (PV) materials need to be urgently developed. Among...

A Review on the Effects of ZnO Nanowire Morphology on the Performance of Interpenetrating Bulk Heterojunction Quantum Dot Solar Cells

Interpenetrating bulk heterojunction (IBHJ) quantum dot solar cells (QDSCs) offer a direct pathway for electrical contacts to overcome the trade-off between light absorption and carrier extraction. However, their complex three-dimensional structure creates higher requirements for the optimization of their design due to their more difficult interface defect states control, more complex light capture mechanism, and more advanced QD deposition technology. ZnO nanowire (NW) has been widely used as the electron transport layer (ETL) for this structure. Hence, the optimization of the ZnO NW morphology (such as density, length, and surface defects) is the key to improving the photoelectric performance of these SCs. In this study, the morphology control principles of ZnO NW for different synthetic methods are discussed. Furthermore, the effects of the density and length of the NW on the collection of photocarriers and their light capture effects are investigated. It is indicated that the NW spacing determines the transverse collection of electrons, while the length of the NW and the thickness of the SC often affect the longitudinal collection of holes. Finally, the optimization strategies for the geometrical morphology of and defect passivation in ZnO NWs are proposed to improve the efficiency of IBHJ QDSCs.

Electrophoretic Codeposition of MoOx/MoS2 Thin Film for Platinum-Free Counter Electrode in Quantum Dot Solar Cells

The MoOx/MoS2 thin films were manufactured on conducting glass (FTO) from the ethanolic mixture of colloidal molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and molybdenum oxides (MoOx) by electrophoretic deposition method and were used for counter electrode of quantum dot solar cells. Different ramp-rate conditions for electrophoretic deposition as well as bias potential were investigated in an attempt to get the highest possible electrocatalytic activity of polysulfide (S2-/Sn2-) redox couple. In this research, interestingly, by simply using CdS/CdSe/ZnS photoanode and polysulfide electrolyte under 1000 W.m−2 AM 1.5 G illumination, the power conversion efficiency of MoOx/MoS2-counter-electrode-based QDSC was achieved up to 2.01%, which was double compared to platinum-based counter electrode of QDSCs.