The Frontiers of Nanomaterials (SnS, PbS and CuS) for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Applications: An Exciting New Infrared Material

Abstract

To date, extensive studies have been done on solar cells on how to harness the unpleasant climatic condition for the binary benefits of renewable energy sources and potential energy solutions. Photovoltaic (PV) is considered as, not only as the future of humanity’s source of green energy, but also as a reliable solution to the energy crisis due to its sustainability, abundance, easy fabrication, cost-friendly and environmentally hazard-free nature. PV is grouped into first, second and third-generation cells. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), classified as third-generation PV, have gained more ground in recent times. This is linked to their transparency, high efficiency, shape, being cost-friendly and flexibility of colour. However, further improvement of DSSCs by quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) has increased their efficiency through the use of semiconducting materials, such as quantum dots (QDs), as sensitizers. This has paved way for the fabrication of semiconducting QDs to replace the ideal DSSCs with quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs). Moreover, there are no absolute photosensitizers that can cover all the infrared spectrum, the infusion of QD metal sulphides with better absorption could serve as a breakthrough. Metal sulphides, such as PbS, SnS and CuS QDs could be used as photosensitizers due to their strong near infrared (NIR) absorption properties. A few great dependable and reproducible routes to synthesize better QD size have attained much ground in the past and of late. The injection of these QD materials, which display (NIR) absorption with localized surface plasmon resonances (SPR), due to self-doped p-type carriers and photocatalytic activity could enhance the performance of the solar cell. This review will be focused on QDs in solar cell applications, the recent advances in the synthesis method, their stability, and long term prospects of QDSSCs efficiency.

Electrochemical Fingerprint of CuS-Hexagonal Chemistry from (Bis(N-1,4-Phenyl-N-(4-Morpholinedithiocarbamato) Copper(II) Complexes) as Photon Absorber in Quantum-Dot/Dye-Sensitised Solar Cells

“…The major challenge when integrating these elements is the synthesis of QD photosensitisers and deposition on a TiO 2 -coated electrode. Deposition of the photosensitiser on the semiconductor electrode occurs via either ex situ or in situ routes [28,29].…”

Electrochemical Performance of Photovoltaic Cells Using HDA Capped-SnS Nanocrystal from bis (N-1,4-Phenyl-N-Morpho-Dithiocarbamato) Sn(II) Complexes

“…All materials were purchased and used without modification. The complete test kits containing fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) as glass substrate of TiO2, platinum FTO, HI-30 electrolyte iodide, masks, gaskets, chenodeoxycholic acid (CDC) and hot seal were purchased from Solaronix Other limitation like electrons diffusion length and the electrode nanoporous oxide geometry [12], hinder the surface area optimum adsorption capacity of molecule dye. To increase the cell spectral properties by adopting various photosensitizers will lead to poor optical density [13].…”

“…Moreover, the challenges involving metal-oxide surface and the absorbers poor contact due to the inabilities of photoinduced charge separation to directly penetrate each other served as a major restriction [11]. Other limitation like electrons diffusion length and the electrode nanoporous oxide geometry [12], hinder the surface area optimum adsorption capacity of molecule dye. To increase the cell spectral properties by adopting various photosensitizers will lead to poor optical density [13].…”

“…Schematic illustration of quantum dot solar cells (QDSCs) working procedure involving, quantum dots (QDs) photosensitizer, counter electrode, photoanode, and electrolyte[12].…”

Electrochemistry of Inorganic OCT-PbS/HDA and OCT-PbS Photosensitizers Thermalized from Bis(N-diisopropyl-N-octyldithiocarbamato) Pb(II) Molecular Precursors

“…Apart from the need for new materials for clean energy, more effort is placed on the synthetic pathways that will deal with the shortfall in the solar cells' poor conversion efficiency. Limitations, like defects on the nanomaterial surface through impurities emanating from capping agents and lack of control over the particle size, impede composite transport of the charge carriers [1,2]. This has placed a great deal of emphasis on the fabrication process of photovoltaic cells that will result in better conversion efficiency than the ideal dye sensitizer solar cells (DSSC) (see Figure 1), which have been used over the past two decades.…”