Synthesis of Various Sized CuInS₂ Quantum Dots and Their Photovoltaic Properties as Sensitizers for TiO₂ Photoanodes

Abstract

Understanding the various size effects of CuInS 2 quantum dots is very important for improving the performance of quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells. In this work, CuInS 2 quantum dots with sizes ranging from 2 to 8 nm have been synthesized by a simple thermolysis method and a ligandexchange process. The quantum dots as sensitizers were uniformly attached to the surface of TiO 2 nanoparticle films capped with 3-mercaptopropionic acid to form sensitized solar cells. Various sized CuInS 2 quantum dots and sensitized[a] State

Efficiency enhancement of CuInS2 quantum dot sensitized TiO2 photo-anodes for solar cell applications

“…Comparing with the pure TiO 2 photo-anode, the optical absorption edge of L photo-anode obviously expands from 450 nm to 700 nm after sensitized by the 3.5 nm MPA-capped CuInS 2 QDs in Figure 1a, which has the similar absorption edge of 3.5 nm MPA-capped CuInS 2 QDs. However, the optical properties are limited by the linking content of CuInS 2 QDs, as previously reported [17]. Therefore, the SILAR process for CuInS 2 QDs is suggested in order to improve the optical absorption and photovoltaic properties.…”

“…For ZnSe passivation, the photo-anodes were successively immersed for 1 min each to the solution of 0.1 M Zn(Ac) 2 and 0.1 M NaHSe (SeO 2 with NaBH 4 in ethanol under Ar atmosphere). The ZnS passivation layer was prepared for comparison as previous report [17]. Finally, the photoanodes were annealed at 300°C in Ar atmosphere for 5 min.…”

“…[14][15][16]. In our previous work, the various sized CuInS 2 QDs can be effectively deposited on the TiO 2 films by the assembly linking process to enhance the photovoltaic performance [17]. It can improve the interface connection between the TiO 2 and QDs.…”

CuInS2/Mn-CdS quantum dot co-sensitized flexible solar cells based on single fibrous TiO2 nanowire arrays

“…After CuInS 2 QDs sensitization, the CdS QDs were deposited on the fibrous electrodes by SILAR process. For the sensitization process of CdS QDs, the TiO 2 NWAs/CuInS 2 electrodes were firstly dipped into a mixture solution [contain 0.05 M Cd(NO) 3 and 0.0375 M Mn(CH 3 COO) 2 ] in methanol for 30 s, and then dipped into 0.05 M Na 2 S in mixture solution of methanol and water (1:1) for 30 s. The electrodes should be rinsed in methanol before each dipping process, and the procedure was repeated for 12 times. All the electrodes were finally coated with ZnS passivation layer by the two SILAR cycles (alternately dipping into 0.1 M Zn(CH 3-COO) 2 and 0.1 M Na 2 S solution for 1 min).…”

“…Nowadays, the third generation nanocrystalline solar cells have been received much attention by the researchers [1,2]. Especially, employing quantum dots (QDs) to fabricate quantum dots-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) have much potential to obtain excellent photovoltaic performance due to the advantages of QDs, such as low-cost, easy-preparation, size effect, ultrafast electron transfer, and multiple excitons generation [3][4][5][6][7][8]. In the QDSSCs' system, QDs co-sensitization process had been recognized to be one of the most effective techniques to obtain high photovoltaic efficiency [9][10][11][12][13].…”