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experiments. V.B.J. designed the computational studies and analyzed the data. V.B.J. designed the compounds, performed the chemical synthesis and SAR analysis. C.E.H. and N.B. contributed to the chemical synthesis. Z.F., Y.W., and S.W. constructed the homology model and conducted the MD simulations and docking experiments. S.R. conducted the Ca 2+ imaging studies. S.G.-R., A.F.-C., and G.F.-B. carried out the in vivo assays. J.K.H. carried out the electrophysiology assays. V.B.J. designed and coordinated the work.

CuInS2 quantum-dot sensitized TiO2 photoanodes with In2S3 buffer layer were in situ prepared via chemical bath deposition of In2S3, where the Cd-free In2S3 layer then reacted with TiO2/CuxS which employed a facile SILAR process to deposit CuxS quantum dots on TiO2 film, followed by a covering process with ZnS layer. Polysulfide electrolyte and Cu2S on FTO glass counter electrode were used to provide higher photovoltaic performance of the constructed devices. The characteristics of the quantum dots sensitized solar cells were studied in more detail by optical measurements, photocurrent-voltage performance measurements, and impedance spectroscopy. On the basis of optimal CuxS SILAR cycles, the best photovoltaic performance with power conversion efficiency (η) of 1.62% (Jsc = 6.49 mA cm(-2), Voc = 0.50 V, FF = 0.50) under full one-sun illumination was achieved by using Cu2S counter electrode. Cu2S-FTO electrode exhibits superior electrocatalytic ability for the polysulfide redox reactions relative to that of Pt-FTO electrode.