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Title: Cation-Exchange Synthesis of Highly Monodisperse PbS Quantum Dots from ZnS Nanorods for Efficient Infrared Solar Cells

Journal Article · · Advanced Functional Materials
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [1];  [1];  [3];  [4];  [4];  [5];  [2];  [1];  [6];  [2];  [7]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Huazhong Univ. of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei (China). School of Optical and Electronic Information, Engineering Research Center for Functional Ceramics
  2. Huazhong Univ. of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei (China). Wuhan National Lab. for Optoelectronics
  3. Wuhan Inst. of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei (China). School of Materials Science and Engineering
  4. Hubei Univ. of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, Hubei (China). Hubei Key Lab. of Low Dimensional Optoelectronic Materials and Devices
  5. Tsinghua Univ., Shenzhen(China)
  6. Clemson Univ., Clemson, SC (United States)
  7. National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States). Chemistry & Nanoscience Center
+ Show Author Affiliations

Infrared solar cells that utilize low-bandgap colloidal quantum dots (QDs) are promising devices to enhance the utilization of solar energy by expanding the harvested photons of common photovoltaics into the infrared region. However, the present synthesis of PbS QDs cannot produce highly efficient infrared solar cells. Here in this paper, a general synthesis is developed for low-bandgap PbS QDs (0.65-1 eV) via cation exchange from ZnS nanorods (NRs). First, ZnS NRs are converted to superlattices with segregated PbS domains within each rod. Then, sulfur precursors are released via the dissolution of the ZnS NRs during the cation exchange, which promotes size focusing of PbS QDs. PbS QDs synthesized through this new method have the advantages of high monodispersity, ease-of-size control, in situ passivation of chloride, high stability, and a 'clean' surface. Infrared solar cells based on these PbS QDs with different bandgaps are fabricated, using conventional ligand exchange and device structure. All of the devices produced in this manner show excellent performance, showcasing the high quality of the PbS QDs. The highest performance of infrared solar cells is achieved using ≈0.95 eV PbS QDs, exhibiting an efficiency of 10.0% under AM 1.5 solar illumination, a perovskite-filtered efficiency of 4.2%, and a silicon-filtered efficiency of 1.1%.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC); Hubei Provincial Natural Science Foundation; Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
Grant/Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308; 61974052; 61804061; 61725401; 2017CFB417; 2017KFYXJJ039
OSTI ID:
1579638
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1573071
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA-5900-73814
Journal Information:
Advanced Functional Materials, Vol. 30, Issue 4; ISSN 1616-301X
Publisher:
WileyCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 61 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
cation exchange
nanorods
PbS
quantum dots
solar cells