Hybrid solar cells: basic principles and the role of ligands

Abstract

For the last decade, researchers have attempted to construct photovoltaic (PV) devices using a mixture of inorganic nanoparticles and conjugated polymers. The goal is to construct layers that use the best properties of each material e.g., flexibility from the polymer and high charge mobility from the nanoparticles or blue absorbance from the polymer complementing red absorbance from the nanoparticles. This critical review discusses the main obstacles to efficient hybrid organic/inorganic PV device design in terms of contributions to the external and internal quantum efficiencies. We discuss in particular the role that ligands on the nanoparticles play for mutual solubility and electronic processes at the nanoscale. After a decade of work to control the separation distance between unlike domains and the connectivity between like domains at the nanoscale, hybrid PV device layers are gaining in efficiency, but the goal of using the best properties of two mixed materials is still elusive. IntroductionThere is a serious concern that the global temperature will increase by 1 to 6 C and the CO 2 concentration will exceed the range from 570 to 970 parts per million during the 21 st century. 1 These numbers create tremendous awareness towards the increasing need for renewable energy resources. Approximately 80% of the world energy supply still comes from fossil fuels. 2 Unfortunately, photovoltaic (PV) energy only contributes 0.04% of the total energy production, 3 although the earth receives enough energy in an hour to fulfil the yearly demand. The main reason for low penetration of PV into the energy market is the high cost of providing power from PV. We review here hybrid organic/inorganic PV devices that, due to ease of fabrication, have the chance to greatly reduce the cost of PV energy.The current PV industry is dominated by silicon-based photovoltaics. There are other types of PVs such as single and multi-junction thin films that have also captured a significant part of the PV market because of their high power conversion

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].…”

Solution Processed Polymer–Inorganic Semiconductor Solar Cells Employing Sb2S3 as a Light Harvesting and Electron Transporting Material

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] A confi guration of particular promise is the hybrid inorganic nanocrystalpoly mer bulk heterojunction solar cell. A typical device consists of a photoactive layer composed of a blend of inorganic nanoparticles and a semiconducting polymer, which is sandwiched between two charge-collecting electrodes.…”

Recent Developments in Quantum Dots/CNT Co-Sensitized Organic Solar Cells

“…It is worth knowing that the choice of ligand drastically influences different parameters such as film morphology, charge separation, electron mobility and charge transport, energy levels of the nanoparticle relative to the vacuum level, trap density and absorption spectrum of the polymer [92][93][94][95][96][97].…”