Crafting Semiconductor Organic−Inorganic Nanocomposites via Placing Conjugated Polymers in Intimate Contact with Nanocrystals for Hybrid Solar Cells

Abstract

Semiconductor organic−inorganic hybrid solar cells incorporating conjugated polymers (CPs) and nanocrystals (NCs) offer the potential to deliver efficient energy conversion with low‐cost fabrication. The CP‐based photovoltaic devices are complimented by an extensive set of advantageous characteristics from CPs and NCs, such as lightweight, flexibility, and solution‐processability of CPs, combined with high electron mobility and size‐dependent optical properties of NCs. Recent research has witnessed rapid advances in an emerging field of directly tethering CPs on the NC surface to yield an intimately contacted CP−NC nanocomposite possessing a well‐defined interface that markedly promotes the dispersion of NCs within the CP matrix, facilitates the photoinduced charge transfer between these two semiconductor components, and provides an effective platform for studying the interfacial charge separation and transport. In this Review, we aim to highlight the recent developments in CP−NC nanocomposite materials, critically examine the viable preparative strategies geared to craft intimate CP−NC nanocomposites and their photovoltaic performance in hybrid solar cells, and finally provide an outlook for future directions of this extraordinarily rich field.

High performance hybrid solar cells sensitized by organolead halide perovskites

“…The Great attention has recently been drawn to developing costeffective, high efficiency solar cells to meet the ever increasing demand for clean energy. Dye/semiconductor sensitized solar cells, 1-11 organic solar cells, 12-15 and inorganic-organic hybrid solar cells [16][17][18][19][20][21] show promise among the novel photovoltaic devices. However, liquid electrolyte-based sensitized solar cells suffer from solvent leakage, and organic solar cells have the problem of short life-time.…”

In situ syntheses of semiconducting nanoparticles in conjugated polymer matrices and their application in photovoltaics.

“…Motivated by these pioneering works research on hybrid solar cells was pursued and, especially in recent years, the interest of scientists in this class of materials grew rapidly, which is also reflected by the increasing number of publications and especially reviews on hybrid solar cells highlighting the dynamic progress of this technology [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25].…”

Hybrid Photovoltaics – from Fundamentals towards Application

“…Similar to organic solar cells, [35][36][37][38][39][40] two main morphologies of the active layers are found in literature, a planar and a bulk heterojunction (BHJ) geometry. [41][42][43][44][45][46][47] In a planar arrangement, the n-type and p-type materials have one more or less planar interface. In Principle processes occurring in hybrid solar cells.…”