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Jin L, Selopal GS, Tong X, Perepichka DF, Wang ZM, Rosei F. Heavy-Metal-Free Colloidal Quantum Dots: Progress and Opportunities in Solar Technologies. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024:e2402912. [PMID: 38923167 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202402912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Colloidal quantum dots (QDs) hold great promise as building blocks in solar technologies owing to their remarkable photostability and adjustable properties through the rationale involving size, atomic composition of core and shell, shapes, and surface states. However, most high-performing QDs in solar conversion contain hazardous metal elements, including Cd and Pb, posing significant environmental risks. Here, a comprehensive review of heavy-metal-free colloidal QDs for solar technologies, including photovoltaic (PV) devices, solar-to-chemical fuel conversion, and luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs), is presented. Emerging synthetic strategies to optimize the optical properties by tuning the energy band structure and manipulating charge dynamics within the QDs and at the QDs/charge acceptors interfaces, are analyzed. A comparative analysis of different synthetic methods is provided, structure-property relationships in these materials are discussed, and they are correlated with the performance of solar devices. This work is concluded with an outlook on challenges and opportunities for future work, including machine learning-based design, sustainable synthesis, and new surface/interface engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Jin
- Centre for Energy, Materials and Telecommunications, National Institute of Scientific Research, 1650 Boul. Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, QC, J3X1P7, Canada
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, QC, H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Gurpreet Singh Selopal
- Department of Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, 39 Cox Rd, Banting Building, Truro, NS, B2N 5E3, Canada
| | - Xin Tong
- Shimmer Center, Tianfu Jiangxi Laboratory, Chengdu, 641419, P. R. China
| | - Dmytro F Perepichka
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, QC, H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Zhiming M Wang
- Shimmer Center, Tianfu Jiangxi Laboratory, Chengdu, 641419, P. R. China
| | - Federico Rosei
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Giorgeri 1, Trieste, 34127, Italy
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2
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Wang K, Tao Y, Tang Z, Xu X, Benetti D, Vidal F, Zhao H, Rosei F, Sun X. Efficient Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Generation Based on Core Size Effect of Heterostructured Quantum Dots. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2306453. [PMID: 38032174 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202306453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Colloidal quantum dots (QDs) are shown to be effective as light-harvesting sensitizers of metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) photoelectrodes for photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen (H2) generation. The CdSe/CdS core/shell architecture is widely studied due to their tunable absorption range and band alignment via engineering the size of each composition, leading to efficient carrier separation/transfer with proper core/shell band types. However, until now the effect of core size on the PEC performance along with tailoring the core/shell band alignment is not well understood. Here, by regulating four types of CdSe/CdS core/shell QDs with different core sizes (diameter of 2.8, 3.1, 3.5, and 4.8 nm) while the thickness of CdS shell remains the same (thickness of 2.0 ± 0.1 nm), the Type II, Quasi-Type II, and Type I core/shell architecture are successfully formed. Among these, the optimized CdSe/CdS/TiO2 photoelectrode with core size of 3.5 nm can achieve the saturated photocurrent density (Jph) of 17.4 mA cm-2 under standard one sun irradiation. When such cores are further optimized by capping alloyed shells, the Jph can reach values of 22 mA cm2 which is among the best-performed electrodes based on colloidal QDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanghong Wang
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, P. R. China
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Énergie, Matériaux et Télécommunications, 1650 Boul. Lionel Boulet, Varennes, Québec, J3×1P7, Canada
- Suzhou Institute for Advanced Research, University of Science and Technology China, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Yi Tao
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Zikun Tang
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Xiaolan Xu
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Daniele Benetti
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Énergie, Matériaux et Télécommunications, 1650 Boul. Lionel Boulet, Varennes, Québec, J3×1P7, Canada
| | - François Vidal
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Énergie, Matériaux et Télécommunications, 1650 Boul. Lionel Boulet, Varennes, Québec, J3×1P7, Canada
| | - Haiguang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-Fibers and Eco-Textiles & College of Physics, University-Industry Joint Center for Ocean Observation and Broadband Communication, Qingdao University, No. 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao, 266071, P. R. China
| | - Federico Rosei
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Énergie, Matériaux et Télécommunications, 1650 Boul. Lionel Boulet, Varennes, Québec, J3×1P7, Canada
| | - Xuhui Sun
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, P. R. China
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Jin L, Liu J, Liu X, Benetti D, Selopal GS, Tong X, Hamzehpoor E, Li F, Perepichka DF, Wang ZM, Rosei F. Rational Control of Near-Infrared Colloidal Thick-Shell Eco-Friendly Quantum Dots for Solar Energy Conversion. SMALL METHODS 2024; 8:e2300133. [PMID: 37075734 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202300133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Thick-shell colloidal quantum dots (QDs) are promising building blocks for solar technologies due to their size/composition/shape-tunable properties. However, most well-performed thick-shell QDs suffer from frequent use of toxic metal elements including Pb and Cd, and inadequate light absorption in the visible and near-infrared (NIR) region due to the wide bandgap of the shell. In this work, eco-friendly AgInSe2 /AgInS2 core/shell QDs, which are optically active in the NIR region and are suitable candidates to fabricate devices for solar energy conversion, are developed. Direct synthesis suffers from simultaneously controlling the reactivity of multiple precursors, instead, a template-assisted cation exchange method is used. By modulating the monolayer growth of template QDs, gradient AgInSeS shell layers are incorporated into AgInSe2 /AgInS2 QDs. The resulting AgInSe2 /AgInSeS/AgInS2 exhibits better charge transfer than AgInSe2 /AgInS2 due to their favorable electronic band alignment, as predicted by first-principle calculations and confirmed by transient fluorescence spectroscopy. The photoelectrochemical cells fabricated with AgInSe2 /AgInSeS/AgInS2 QDs present ≈1.5-fold higher current density and better stability compared to AgInSe2 /AgInS2 . The findings define a promising approach toward multinary QDs and pave the way for engineering the QDs' electronic band structures for solar-energy conversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Jin
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, P. R. China
- Centre for Energy, Materials and Telecommunications, Institut national de la recherche scientifique, 1650 Boul. Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, Quebec, J3X 1P7, Canada
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Jiabin Liu
- Centre for Energy, Materials and Telecommunications, Institut national de la recherche scientifique, 1650 Boul. Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, Quebec, J3X 1P7, Canada
| | - Xin Liu
- Centre for Energy, Materials and Telecommunications, Institut national de la recherche scientifique, 1650 Boul. Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, Quebec, J3X 1P7, Canada
| | - Daniele Benetti
- Centre for Energy, Materials and Telecommunications, Institut national de la recherche scientifique, 1650 Boul. Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, Quebec, J3X 1P7, Canada
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Gurpreet Singh Selopal
- Department of Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, Truro, NS, B2N 5E3, Canada
| | - Xin Tong
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, P. R. China
| | - Ehsan Hamzehpoor
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Faying Li
- Centre for Energy, Materials and Telecommunications, Institut national de la recherche scientifique, 1650 Boul. Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, Quebec, J3X 1P7, Canada
| | - Dmytro F Perepichka
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Zhiming M Wang
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, P. R. China
- Institute for Advanced Study, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610106, P. R. China
| | - Federico Rosei
- Centre for Energy, Materials and Telecommunications, Institut national de la recherche scientifique, 1650 Boul. Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, Quebec, J3X 1P7, Canada
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Converting Sewage Water into H 2 Fuel Gas Using Cu/CuO Nanoporous Photocatalytic Electrodes. MATERIALS 2022; 15:ma15041489. [PMID: 35208029 PMCID: PMC8879772 DOI: 10.3390/ma15041489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This work reports on H2 fuel generation from sewage water using Cu/CuO nanoporous (NP) electrodes. This is a novel concept for converting contaminated water into H2 fuel. The preparation of Cu/CuO NP was achieved using a simple thermal combustion process of Cu metallic foil at 550 °C for 1 h. The Cu/CuO surface consists of island-like structures, with an inter-distance of 100 nm. Each island has a highly porous surface with a pore diameter of about 250 nm. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the formation of monoclinic Cu/CuO NP material with a crystallite size of 89 nm. The prepared Cu/CuO photoelectrode was applied for H2 generation from sewage water achieving an incident to photon conversion efficiency (IPCE) of 14.6%. Further, the effects of light intensity and wavelength on the photoelectrode performance were assessed. The current density (Jph) value increased from 2.17 to 4.7 mA·cm-2 upon raising the light power density from 50 to 100 mW·cm-2. Moreover, the enthalpy (ΔH*) and entropy (ΔS*) values of Cu/CuO electrode were determined as 9.519 KJ mol-1 and 180.4 JK-1·mol-1, respectively. The results obtained in the present study are very promising for solving the problem of energy in far regions by converting sewage water to H2 fuel.
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Xu JY, Tong X, Besteiro LV, Li X, Hu C, Liu R, Channa AI, Zhao H, Rosei F, Govorov AO, Wang Q, Wang ZM. Rational synthesis of novel "giant" CuInTeSe/CdS core/shell quantum dots for optoelectronics. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:15301-15310. [PMID: 34490860 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr04199a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
"Giant" core/shell quantum dots (g-QDs) are promising candidates for emerging optoelectronic technologies thanks to their facile structure/composition-tunable optoelectronic properties and outstanding photo-physical/chemical stability. Here, we synthesized a new type of CuInTeSe (CITS)/CdS g-QDs and regulated their optoelectronic properties by controlling the shell thickness. Through increasing the shell thickness, as-prepared g-QDs exhibited tunable red-shifted emission (from 900 to 1200 nm) and prolonged photoluminescence (PL) lifetimes (up to ∼14.0 μs), indicating a formed band structure showing efficient charge separation and transfer, which is further testified by theoretical calculations and ultrafast time-resolved transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy. These CITS/CdS g-QDs with various shell thicknesses can be employed to fabricate photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells, exhibiting improved photoresponse and stability as compared to the bare CITS QD-based devices. The results indicate that the rational design and engineering of g-QDs is very promising for future QD-based optoelectronic technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Yin Xu
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, P. R. China.
| | - Xin Tong
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, P. R. China.
- Yangtze Delta Region Institute (Huzhou), University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Huzhou 313001, P. R. China
| | - Lucas V Besteiro
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, P. R. China.
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Énergie, Matériaux et Télécommunications, 1650 Boul. Lionel Boulet, J3X 1S2 Varennes, Québec, Canada
| | - Xin Li
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, P. R. China.
| | - Chenxia Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Special Function Materials and Structure Design, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China.
| | - Ruitong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Special Function Materials and Structure Design, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China.
| | - Ali Imran Channa
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, P. R. China.
| | - Haiguang Zhao
- College of Physics & State Key Laboratory of Bio-Fibers and Eco-Textiles, Qingdao University, No. 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao 266071, P. R. China
| | - Federico Rosei
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, P. R. China.
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Énergie, Matériaux et Télécommunications, 1650 Boul. Lionel Boulet, J3X 1S2 Varennes, Québec, Canada
| | | | - Qiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Special Function Materials and Structure Design, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China.
| | - Zhiming M Wang
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, P. R. China.
- Yangtze Delta Region Institute (Huzhou), University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Huzhou 313001, P. R. China
- Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics (IMEN), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
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Li F, Benetti D, Zhang M, Feng J, Wei Q, Rosei F. Modulating the 0D/2D Interface of Hybrid Semiconductors for Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Performances. SMALL METHODS 2021; 5:e2100109. [PMID: 34927862 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202100109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Photoelectrochemical (PEC) solar-driven hydrogen production is a promising route to convert solar energy into chemical energy using semiconductors as active materials. However, the performance is still far from satisfactory due to a limited absorption range and rapid charge recombination. Compared to 3D semiconductors, 0D/2D nanohybrids may exhibit better PEC performance, due to the formation of an intimate interface between the two semiconductors that can inhibit carrier recombination. Herein, a photoelectrode based on a 0D/2D heterojunction is constructed by 0D metal chalcogenide quantum dots (QDs) and hierarchical 2D Zn-MoS2 nanosheets (NSs). The effect of PbS, CdS, and their composite PbS@CdS QDs is analyzed by depositing them onto Zn-MoS2 NSs using an in situ process. This distinctive heterojunction can leverage the light harvesting capabilities of QDs with the catalytic performance of Zn-MoS2 . Compared to Zn-MoS2 , Zn-MoS2 /PbS, and Zn-MoS2 /CdS, the obtained 0D/2D heterostructure based on the composite Zn-MoS2 /PbS@CdS has a significantly enhanced photocurrent. The synergistic effect between 0D/2D heterojunction, the extended absorption range of QDs, and the strong coupling and band alignment between them lead to superior solar-driven PEC performance. This work can provide a new platform to construct multifunctional 0D/2D nanohybrids for optoelectronic applications, not limited to PEC devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faying Li
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Énergie, Matériaux et Télécommunications, 1650 Boul. Lionel Boulet, J3X 1S2 Varennes, Québec, Canada
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Chemical Manufacturing and Accurate Detection, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, P. R. China
| | - Daniele Benetti
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Énergie, Matériaux et Télécommunications, 1650 Boul. Lionel Boulet, J3X 1S2 Varennes, Québec, Canada
| | - Min Zhang
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Énergie, Matériaux et Télécommunications, 1650 Boul. Lionel Boulet, J3X 1S2 Varennes, Québec, Canada
| | - Jinhui Feng
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Chemical Manufacturing and Accurate Detection, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, P. R. China
| | - Qin Wei
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Chemical Manufacturing and Accurate Detection, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, P. R. China
| | - Federico Rosei
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Énergie, Matériaux et Télécommunications, 1650 Boul. Lionel Boulet, J3X 1S2 Varennes, Québec, Canada
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Chemical Manufacturing and Accurate Detection, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, P. R. China
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Lu C, Drichel A, Chen J, Enders F, Rokicińska A, Kuśtrowski P, Dronskowski R, Boldt K, Slabon A. Sensibilization of p-NiO with ZnSe/CdS and CdS/ZnSe quantum dots for photoelectrochemical water reduction. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:869-877. [PMID: 33355569 DOI: 10.1039/d0nr06993k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Core/shell quantum dots (QDs) paired with semiconductor photocathodes for water reduction have rarely been implemented so far. We demonstrate the integration of ZnSe/CdS and CdS/ZnSe QDs with porous p-type NiO photocathodes for water reduction. The QDs demonstrate appreciable enhancement in water-reduction efficiency, as compared with the bare NiO. Despite their different structure, both QDs generate comparable photocurrent enhancement, yielding a 3.8- and 3.2-fold improvement for the ZnSe/CdS@NiO and CdS/ZnSe@NiO system, respectively. Unraveling the carrier kinetics at the interface of these hybrid photocathodes is therefore critical for the development of efficient photoelectrochemical (PEC) proton reduction. In addition to examining the carrier dynamics by the Mott-Schottky technique and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), we performed theoretical modelling for the distribution density of the carriers with respect to electron and hole wave functions. The electrons are found to be delocalized through the whole shell and can directly actuate the PEC-related process in the ZnSe/CdS QDs. The holes as the more localized carriers in the core have to tunnel through the shell before injecting into the hole transport layer (NiO). Our results emphasize the role of interfacial effects in core/shell QDs-based multi-heterojunction photocathodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Can Lu
- Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 1, D-52056 Aachen, Germany
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Selopal GS, Mohammadnezhad M, Besteiro LV, Cavuslar O, Liu J, Zhang H, Navarro‐Pardo F, Liu G, Wang M, Durmusoglu EG, Acar HY, Sun S, Zhao H, Wang ZM, Rosei F. Synergistic Effect of Plasmonic Gold Nanoparticles Decorated Carbon Nanotubes in Quantum Dots/TiO 2 for Optoelectronic Devices. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2020; 7:2001864. [PMID: 33101875 PMCID: PMC7578890 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202001864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Here, a facile approach to enhance the performance of solar-driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is described by means of the synergistic effects of a hybrid network of plasmonic Au nanoparticles (NPs) decorated on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The device based on TiO2-Au:CNTs hybrid network sensitized with colloidal CdSe/(CdSe x S1- x )5/(CdS)1 core/alloyed shell quantum dots (QDs) yields a saturated photocurrent density of 16.10 ± 0.10 mA cm-2 [at 1.0 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE)] under 1 sun illumination (AM 1.5G, 100 mW cm-2), which is ≈26% higher than the control device. The in-depth mechanism behind this significant improvement is revealed through a combined experimental and theoretical analysis for QDs/TiO2-Au:CNTs hybrid network and demonstrates the multifaceted impact of plasmonic Au NPs and CNTs: i) hot-electron injection from Au NPs into CNTs and TiO2; ii) near-field enhancement of the QDs absorption and carrier generation/separation processes by the plasmonic Au NPs; iii) enhanced photoinjected electron transport due to the highly directional pathways offered by CNTs. These results provide fundamental insights on the properties of QDs/TiO2-Au:CNTs hybrid network, and highlights the possibility to improve the performance of other solar technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gurpreet Singh Selopal
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier SciencesUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengdu610054P. R. China
- Centre ÉnergieMatériaux et TélécommunicationsInstitut National de la Recherché Scientifique1650 Boul. Lionel BouletVarennesQuébecJ3X 1S2Canada
| | - Mahyar Mohammadnezhad
- Centre ÉnergieMatériaux et TélécommunicationsInstitut National de la Recherché Scientifique1650 Boul. Lionel BouletVarennesQuébecJ3X 1S2Canada
| | - Lucas V. Besteiro
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier SciencesUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengdu610054P. R. China
- Centre ÉnergieMatériaux et TélécommunicationsInstitut National de la Recherché Scientifique1650 Boul. Lionel BouletVarennesQuébecJ3X 1S2Canada
| | - Ozge Cavuslar
- Department of ChemistryKoc UniversityRumelifeneri Yolu, SariyerIstanbul34450Turkey
| | - Jiabin Liu
- Centre ÉnergieMatériaux et TélécommunicationsInstitut National de la Recherché Scientifique1650 Boul. Lionel BouletVarennesQuébecJ3X 1S2Canada
| | - Hui Zhang
- Centre ÉnergieMatériaux et TélécommunicationsInstitut National de la Recherché Scientifique1650 Boul. Lionel BouletVarennesQuébecJ3X 1S2Canada
| | - Fabiola Navarro‐Pardo
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier SciencesUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengdu610054P. R. China
- Centre ÉnergieMatériaux et TélécommunicationsInstitut National de la Recherché Scientifique1650 Boul. Lionel BouletVarennesQuébecJ3X 1S2Canada
| | - Guiju Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Bio‐Fibers and Eco‐Textiles & College of PhysicsQingdao UniversityNo. 308 Ningxia RoadQingdao266071P. R. China
| | - Maorong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bio‐Fibers and Eco‐Textiles & College of PhysicsQingdao UniversityNo. 308 Ningxia RoadQingdao266071P. R. China
| | - Emek G. Durmusoglu
- Department of ChemistryKoc UniversityRumelifeneri Yolu, SariyerIstanbul34450Turkey
| | - Havva Yagci Acar
- Department of ChemistryKoc UniversityRumelifeneri Yolu, SariyerIstanbul34450Turkey
| | - Shuhui Sun
- Centre ÉnergieMatériaux et TélécommunicationsInstitut National de la Recherché Scientifique1650 Boul. Lionel BouletVarennesQuébecJ3X 1S2Canada
| | - Haiguang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Bio‐Fibers and Eco‐Textiles & College of PhysicsQingdao UniversityNo. 308 Ningxia RoadQingdao266071P. R. China
| | - Zhiming M. Wang
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier SciencesUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengdu610054P. R. China
| | - Federico Rosei
- Centre ÉnergieMatériaux et TélécommunicationsInstitut National de la Recherché Scientifique1650 Boul. Lionel BouletVarennesQuébecJ3X 1S2Canada
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9
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Wang C, Tong X, Wang W, Xu JY, Besteiro LV, Channa AI, Lin F, Wu J, Wang Q, Govorov AO, Vomiero A, Wang ZM. Manipulating the Optoelectronic Properties of Quasi-type II CuInS 2/CdS Core/Shell Quantum Dots for Photoelectrochemical Cell Applications. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:36277-36286. [PMID: 32805789 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c11651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Colloidal core/shell heterostructured quantum dots (QDs) possessing quasi-type II band structure have demonstrated effective surface passivation and prolonged exciton lifetime, leading to enhanced charge separation/transfer efficiencies that are promising for photovoltaic device applications. Herein, we synthesized CuInS2 (CIS)/CdS core/shell heterostructured QDs and manipulated the optoelectronic properties via controlling the CdS shell thickness. The shell-thickness-dependent optical properties indicate the existence of a quasi-type II band structure in such core/shell QDs, which was verified by ultrafast spectroscopy and theoretical simulations. These quasi-type II core/shell QDs having various shell thicknesses are used as light absorbers for the fabrication of solar-driven QDs-based photoelectrochemical (PEC) devices, exhibiting an optimized photocurrent density of ∼6.0 mA/cm2 and excellent stability under simulated AM 1.5G solar illumination. The results demonstrate that quasi-type II CIS/CdS core/shell heterostructured QDs with tailored optoelectronic properties are promising to realize high-performance QDs-based solar energy conversion devices for the production of solar fuels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changmeng Wang
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, P. R. China
| | - Xin Tong
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, P. R. China
| | - Wenhao Wang
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, P. R. China
| | - Jing-Yin Xu
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, P. R. China
| | - Lucas V Besteiro
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, P. R. China
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Énergie, Matériaux et Télécommunications, 1650 Boul. Lionel Boulet, J3X 1S2 Varennes, Québec, Canada
| | - Ali Imran Channa
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, P. R. China
| | - Feng Lin
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, P. R. China
| | - Jiang Wu
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, P. R. China
| | - Qiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Special Function Materials and Structure Design, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Alexander O Govorov
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, P. R. China
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701, United States
| | - Alberto Vomiero
- Division of Materials Science, Department of Engineering Sciences and Mathematics, Luleå University of Technology, SE-97187 Luleå, Sweden
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30170 Venezia, Mestre, Italy
| | - Zhiming M Wang
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, P. R. China
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10
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Lu C, Ma Z, Jäger J, Budnyak TM, Dronskowski R, Rokicińska A, Kuśtrowski P, Pammer F, Slabon A. NiO/Poly(4-alkylthiazole) Hybrid Interface for Promoting Spatial Charge Separation in Photoelectrochemical Water Reduction. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:29173-29180. [PMID: 32491825 PMCID: PMC7467539 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c03975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Conjugated polymers are emerging as alternatives to inorganic semiconductors for the photoelectrochemical water splitting. Herein, semi-transparent poly(4-alkylthiazole) layers with different trialkylsilyloxymethyl (R3SiOCH2-) side chains (PTzTNB, R = n-butyl; PTzTHX, R = n-hexyl) are applied to functionalize NiO thin films to build hybrid photocathodes. The hybrid interface allows for the effective spatial separation of the photoexcited carriers. Specifically, the PTzTHX-deposited composite photocathode increases the photocurrent density 6- and 2-fold at 0 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode in comparison to the pristine NiO and PTzTHX photocathodes, respectively. This is also reflected in the substantial anodic shift of onset potential under simulated Air Mass 1.5 Global illumination, owing to the prolonged lifetime, augmented density, and alleviated recombination of photogenerated electrons. Additionally, coupling the inorganic and organic components also enhances the photoabsorption and amends the stability of the photocathode-driven system. This work demonstrates the feasibility of poly(4-alkylthiazole)s as an effective alternative to known inorganic semiconductor materials. We highlight the interface alignment for polymer-based photoelectrodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Can Lu
- Institute of Inorganic
Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 1, D-52056 Aachen, Germany
| | - Zili Ma
- Institute of Inorganic
Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 1, D-52056 Aachen, Germany
| | - Jakob Jäger
- Institute of Organic Chemistry II and Advanced Materials, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, D-89081 Ulm, Germany
- Carl Zeiss Jena GmbH, Zeiss Group, Carl-Zeiss-Straße 22, D-73447 Oberkochen, Germany
| | - Tetyana M. Budnyak
- Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 16C, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Richard Dronskowski
- Institute of Inorganic
Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 1, D-52056 Aachen, Germany
- Hoffmann Institute of Advanced Materials, Shenzhen Polytechnic, Liuxian Boulevard 7098, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, People’s Republic of China
| | - Anna Rokicińska
- Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 2, 30-387 Krakow, Poland
| | - Piotr Kuśtrowski
- Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 2, 30-387 Krakow, Poland
| | - Frank Pammer
- Institute of Organic Chemistry II and Advanced Materials, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, D-89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Adam Slabon
- Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 16C, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
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11
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Zhang Y, Yuan C, Wang Q, Hoffmann MR, Zhang X, Nie J, Hu C, Chen S, Qiao J, Wang Q, Cong Y. Photoelectrochemical activity of CdS/Ag/TiO2 nanorod composites: Degradation of nitrobenzene coupled with the concomitant production of molecular hydrogen. Electrochim Acta 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2019.135124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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12
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Wang C, Barba D, Zhao H, Tong X, Wang Z, Rosei F. Epitaxial growth and defect repair of heterostructured CuInSe xS 2-x/CdSeS/CdS quantum dots. NANOSCALE 2019; 11:19529-19535. [PMID: 31573586 DOI: 10.1039/c9nr06110j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Heterostructured quantum dots (hetero-QDs) have outstanding optical properties and chemical/photostability, which make them promising building blocks for use in various optoelectronic devices. Here, CuInSexS2-x/CdSeS/CdS hetero-QDs were synthesized through a facile two-step method. Their particle size, three-dimensional (3D) shapes and the epitaxial relationship between the CuInSexS2-x/CdSeS core and CdS shell were investigated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Our investigation proves that the as-synthesized hetero-QDs have a regular tetrahedron 3D shape with four {111} crystal facets. The epitaxial relationship between the CuInSexS2-x/CdSeS core and CdS shell is determined to be [110]core//[110]shell, {112}core//{111}shell. In situ HRTEM observations show that the screw dislocation inside the hetero-QDs can be efficiently repaired using e-beam irradiation. These results may help in designing hetero-QDs with high-quality interfaces and identifying the strategies for synthesizing defect-free hetero-QDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Wang
- Centre Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Varennes, Québec J3X 1S2, Canada.
| | - David Barba
- Centre Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Varennes, Québec J3X 1S2, Canada.
| | - Haiguang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Bo-Fibers and Eco-Textiles and College of Physics, Qingdao University, Qingdao, PR China
| | - Xin Tong
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, PR China
| | - Zhiming Wang
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, PR China
| | - Federico Rosei
- Centre Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Varennes, Québec J3X 1S2, Canada.
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13
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Review of Core/Shell Quantum Dots Technology Integrated into Building’s Glazing. ENERGIES 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/en12061058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Skylights and windows are building openings that enhance human comfort and well-being in various ways. Recently, a massive drive is witnessed to replace traditional openings with building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems to generate power in a bid to reduce buildings’ energy. The problem with most of the BIPV glazing lies in the obstruction of occupants’ vision of the outdoor view. In order to resolve this problem, new technology has emerged that utilizes quantum dots semiconductors (QDs) in glazing systems. QDs can absorb and re-emit the incoming radiation in the desired direction with the tunable spectrum, which renders them favorable for building integration. By redirecting the radiation towards edges of the glazing, they can be categorized as luminescent solar concentrators (QD-LSCs) that can help to generate electricity while maintaining transparency in the glazing. The aim of this paper is to review the different properties of core/shell quantum dots and their potential applications in buildings. Literature from various disciplines was reviewed to establish correlations between the optical and electrical properties of different types, sizes, thicknesses, and concentration ratios of QDs when used in transparent glazing. The current article will help building designers and system integrators assess the merits of integrating QDs on windows/skylights with regards to energy production and potential impact on admitted daylighting and visual comfort.
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14
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Selopal GS, Mohammadnezhad M, Navarro-Pardo F, Vidal F, Zhao H, Wang ZM, Rosei F. A colloidal heterostructured quantum dot sensitized carbon nanotube-TiO 2 hybrid photoanode for high efficiency hydrogen generation. NANOSCALE HORIZONS 2019; 4:404-414. [PMID: 32254093 DOI: 10.1039/c8nh00227d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Solar-driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen (H2) generation is a promising approach to harvest solar energy for the production of a clean chemical fuel. However, the low photon-to-fuel conversion efficiency and long-term stability of PEC devices are major challenges to be addressed to enable large-scale commercialization. Here we report a simple, fast and cost-effective approach to fabricate high efficiency and stable PEC devices for H2 generation, by fabricating a hybrid photoanode obtained by incorporating small amounts of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) into a TiO2 mesoporous film and sensitizing with colloidal heterostructured CdSe/(CdSexS1-x)5/(CdS)2 quantum dots (QDs). The latter were specially designed to accelerate the exciton separation through a band engineering approach. The PEC devices based on the TiO2/QD-MWCNT (T/Q-M) hybrid photoanode with an optimized amount of MWCNTs (0.015 wt%) yield a saturated photocurrent density of 15.90 mA cm-2 (at 1.0 VRHE) under one sun illumination (AM 1.5G, 100 mW cm-2), which is 40% higher than that of the reference device based on TiO2/QD (T/Q) photoanodes. This is attributed to a synergistic effect of the promising optoelectronic properties of the colloidal heterostructured QDs and improved electron transport (reduced charge transfer resistance) within the TiO2-MWCNT hybrid anodes enabled by the directional path of MWCNTs for the photo-injected electrons towards FTO. Furthermore, the PEC device based on the T/Q-M hybrid photoanode is more stable (∼19% loss of its initial photocurrent density) when compared with the T/Q photoanode (∼35% loss) after two hours of continuous one sun illumination. Our results provide fundamental insights and a different approach to improve the efficiency and long-term stability of PEC devices and represent an essential step towards the commercialization of this emerging solar-to-fuel conversion technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gurpreet Singh Selopal
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, P. R. China.
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15
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Benetti D, Cui D, Zhao H, Rosei F, Vomiero A. Direct Measurement of Electronic Band Structure in Single Quantum Dots of Metal Chalcogenide Composites. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2018; 14:e1801668. [PMID: 30294898 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201801668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Revised: 09/13/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Metal chalcogenide quantum dots (QDs) are among the most promising materials as light harvesters in all-inorganic systems for applications in solar cells and production of solar fuels. The electronic band structure of composite QDs formed by lead and cadmium chalcogenides directly grafted on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite surfaces through successive ionic layer absorption and reaction is investigated. Atomic force microscopy and Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) are applied to investigate PbS, CdS, and PbS/CdS QD systems. The variation of the surface potential of individual QDs is measured, investigating the evolution of the electronic band structure as a function of QD size and composition. A shift of the Fermi level toward more negative values occurs when QD size is increased. The shift is more pronounced in CdS than in PbS, while the composite PbS/CdS exhibits an intermediate behavior. The calculated shift is in good agreement with the experiments. These results highlight the ability of KPFM to directly measure the electronic band structure in individual QDs of metal chalcogenide composites. This feature regulates charge dynamics in composite systems, thereby affecting device performance. This work provides valuable insights for applications in several fields, in which charge injection plays a major role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Benetti
- INRS Centre for Energy, Materials and Telecommunications, 1650 Boulevard Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, Québec, J3X 1S2, Canada
| | - Daling Cui
- INRS Centre for Energy, Materials and Telecommunications, 1650 Boulevard Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, Québec, J3X 1S2, Canada
| | - Haiguang Zhao
- INRS Centre for Energy, Materials and Telecommunications, 1650 Boulevard Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, Québec, J3X 1S2, Canada
- The State Key Laboratory and College of Physics, Qingdao University, No. 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao, 266071, P. R. China
| | - Federico Rosei
- INRS Centre for Energy, Materials and Telecommunications, 1650 Boulevard Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, Québec, J3X 1S2, Canada
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Science, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, P. R. China
| | - Alberto Vomiero
- Division of Materials Science, Department of Engineering Sciences and Mathematics, Luleå University of Technology, 981 87, Luleå, Sweden
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16
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Zhao H, Liu J, Vidal F, Vomiero A, Rosei F. Tailoring the interfacial structure of colloidal "giant" quantum dots for optoelectronic applications. NANOSCALE 2018; 10:17189-17197. [PMID: 30191225 DOI: 10.1039/c8nr04313b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Colloidal semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are promising building blocks for the realization of future optoelectronic technologies, thanks to their size-tunable electronic and optical properties. Among various types of QDs, colloidal "giant" QDs (g-QDs, core/thick-shell) have been widely used in different applications, such as solar cells, light emitting devices, luminescent solar concentrators and photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen production. However, g-QDs have a thick-shell which serves as a physical barrier for electron and hole transfer, leading to a slow charge transfer rate. In this work, we synthesized CdSe/CdSexS1-x/CdS core/shell/shell g-QDs with an intermediate CdSexS1-x alloyed layer. The presence of this interfacial layer largely improves the absorption of CdSe/CdS QDs, particularly in the 300-650 nm range. By engineering the interfacial layer, the holes can leak more into the CdS shell region compared to that of CdSe/CdS QDs. PEC devices based on alloyed g-QDs exhibit a 20% higher saturated photocurrent density (11 ± 0.5 mA cm-2) compared to CdSe/CdS QDs. In addition, after one-hour illumination (100 mW cm-2), the PEC cell based on alloyed g-QDs still exhibits a photocurrent density of 7.5 mA cm-2, maintaining 70% of its initial value. Such alloyed g-QDs are very promising for several emerging optoelectronic applications, where charge separation, transfer and transport play a critical role for the realization of high performance devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiguang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory & College of Physics, Qingdao University, No. 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao 266071, PR China.
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17
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Basu K, Zhang H, Zhao H, Bhattacharya S, Navarro-Pardo F, Datta PK, Jin L, Sun S, Vetrone F, Rosei F. Highly stable photoelectrochemical cells for hydrogen production using a SnO 2-TiO 2/quantum dot heterostructured photoanode. NANOSCALE 2018; 10:15273-15284. [PMID: 30067257 DOI: 10.1039/c8nr02286k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting implementing colloidal quantum dots (QDs) as sensitizers is a promising approach for hydrogen (H2) generation, due to the QD's size-tunable optical properties. However, the challenge of long-term stability of the QDs is still unresolved. Here, we introduce a highly stable QD-based PEC device for H2 generation using a photoanode based on a SnO2-TiO2 heterostructure, sensitized by CdSe/CdS core/thick-shell "giant" QDs. This hybrid photoanode architecture leads to an appreciable saturated photocurrent density of ∼4.7 mA cm-2, retaining an unprecedented ∼96% of its initial current density after two hours, and sustaining ∼93% after five hours of continuous irradiation under an AM 1.5G (100 mW cm-2) simulated solar spectrum. Transient photoluminescence (PL) measurements demonstrate that the heterostructured SnO2-TiO2 photoanode exhibits faster electron transfer compared with the bare TiO2 photoanode. The lower electron transfer rate in the TiO2 photoanode can be attributed to slow electron kinetics in the ultraviolet regime, revealed by ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy. Graphene microplatelets were further introduced into the heterostructured photoanode, which boosted the photocurrent density to ∼5.6 mA cm-2. Our results demonstrate that the SnO2-TiO2 heterostructured photoanode holds significant potential for developing highly stable PEC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaustubh Basu
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Énergie, Matériaux et Télécommunications, Université du Québec, 1650 Boulevard Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, Québec J3X 1S2, Canada.
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18
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Tong X, Kong X, Wang C, Zhou Y, Navarro‐Pardo F, Barba D, Ma D, Sun S, Govorov AO, Zhao H, Wang ZM, Rosei F. Optoelectronic Properties in Near-Infrared Colloidal Heterostructured Pyramidal "Giant" Core/Shell Quantum Dots. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2018; 5:1800656. [PMID: 30128262 PMCID: PMC6097093 DOI: 10.1002/advs.201800656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2018] [Revised: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Colloidal heterostructured quantum dots (QDs) are promising candidates for next-generation optoelectronic devices. In particular, "giant" core/shell QDs (g-QDs) can be engineered to exhibit outstanding optical properties and high chemical/photostability for the fabrication of high-performance optoelectronic devices. Here, the synthesis of heterostructured CuInSe x S2-x (CISeS)/CdSeS/CdS g-QDs with pyramidal shape by using a facile two-step method is reported. The CdSeS/CdS shell is demonstrated to have a pure zinc blend phase other than typical wurtzite phase. The as-obtained heterostructured g-QDs exhibit near-infrared photoluminescence (PL) emission (≈830 nm) and very long PL lifetime (in the microsecond range). The pyramidal g-QDs exhibit a quasi-type II band structure with spatial separation of electron-hole wave function, suggesting an efficient exciton extraction and transport, which is consistent with theoretical calculations. These heterostructured g-QDs are used as light harvesters to fabricate a photoelectrochemical cell, exhibiting a saturated photocurrent density as high as ≈5.5 mA cm-2 and good stability under 1 sun illumination (AM 1.5 G, 100 mW cm-2). These results are an important step toward using heterostructured pyramidal g-QDs for prospective applications in solar technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Tong
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier SciencesUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengdu610054P. R. China
- Institut National de la Recherche ScientifiqueCentre Énergie Matériaux et Télécommunications1650 Boul. Lionel BouletVarennesQCJ3X 1S2Canada
| | - Xiang‐Tian Kong
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier SciencesUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengdu610054P. R. China
- Department of Physics and AstronomyOhio UniversityAthensOH45701USA
| | - Chao Wang
- Institut National de la Recherche ScientifiqueCentre Énergie Matériaux et Télécommunications1650 Boul. Lionel BouletVarennesQCJ3X 1S2Canada
| | - Yufeng Zhou
- Institut National de la Recherche ScientifiqueCentre Énergie Matériaux et Télécommunications1650 Boul. Lionel BouletVarennesQCJ3X 1S2Canada
| | - Fabiola Navarro‐Pardo
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier SciencesUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengdu610054P. R. China
- Institut National de la Recherche ScientifiqueCentre Énergie Matériaux et Télécommunications1650 Boul. Lionel BouletVarennesQCJ3X 1S2Canada
| | - David Barba
- Institut National de la Recherche ScientifiqueCentre Énergie Matériaux et Télécommunications1650 Boul. Lionel BouletVarennesQCJ3X 1S2Canada
| | - Dongling Ma
- Institut National de la Recherche ScientifiqueCentre Énergie Matériaux et Télécommunications1650 Boul. Lionel BouletVarennesQCJ3X 1S2Canada
| | - Shuhui Sun
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier SciencesUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengdu610054P. R. China
- Institut National de la Recherche ScientifiqueCentre Énergie Matériaux et Télécommunications1650 Boul. Lionel BouletVarennesQCJ3X 1S2Canada
| | | | - Haiguang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory and College of PhysicsQingdao UniversityQingdao266071P. R. China
| | - Zhiming M. Wang
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier SciencesUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengdu610054P. R. China
| | - Federico Rosei
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier SciencesUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengdu610054P. R. China
- Institut National de la Recherche ScientifiqueCentre Énergie Matériaux et Télécommunications1650 Boul. Lionel BouletVarennesQCJ3X 1S2Canada
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19
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Navarro-Pardo F, Zhao H, Wang ZM, Rosei F. Structure/Property Relations in "Giant" Semiconductor Nanocrystals: Opportunities in Photonics and Electronics. Acc Chem Res 2018; 51:609-618. [PMID: 29260851 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.7b00467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Semiconductor nanocrystals exhibit size-tunable absorption and emission ranging from the ultraviolet (UV) to the near-infrared (NIR) spectral range, high absorption coefficient, and high photoluminescence quantum yield. Effective surface passivation of these so-called quantum dots (QDs) may be achieved by growing a shell of another semiconductor material. The resulting core/shell QDs can be considered as a model system to study and optimize structure/property relations. A special case consists in growing thick shells (1.5 up to few tens of nanometers) to produce "giant" QDs (g-QDs). Tailoring the chemical composition and structure of CdSe/CdS and PbS/CdS g-QDs is a promising approach to widen the spectral separation of absorption and emission spectra (i.e., the Stokes shift), improve the isolation of photogenerated carriers from surface defects and enhance charge carrier lifetime and mobility. However, most stable systems are limited by a thick CdS shell, which strongly absorbs radiation below 500 nm, covering the UV and part of the visible range. Modification of the interfacial region between the core and shell of g-QDs or tuning their doping with narrow band gap semiconductors are effective approaches to circumvent this challenge. In addition, the synthesis of g-QDs composed of environmentally friendly elements (e.g., CuInSe2/CuInS2) represents an alternative to extend their absorption into the NIR range. Additionally, the band gap and band alignment of g-QDs can be engineered by proper selection of the constituents according to their band edge positions and by tuning their stoichiometry during wet chemical synthesis. In most cases, the quasi-type II localization regime of electrons and holes is achieved. In this type of g-QDs, electrons can leak into the shell region, while the holes remain confined within the core region. This electron-hole spatial distribution is advantageous for optoelectronic devices, resulting in efficient electron-hole separation while maintaining good stability. This Account provides an overview of emerging engineering strategies that can be adopted to optimize structure/property relations in colloidal g-QDs for efficient photon management or charge separation/transfer. In particular, we focus on our recent contributions to this rapidly expanding field of research. We summarize the design and synthesis of a variety of colloidal g-QDs with the aim of tuning the optical properties, such as absorption/emission in a wide region of the solar spectrum, which allows enlargement of their Stokes shift. We also describe the band alignment within these systems, charge carrier dynamics, and charge transfer from g-QDs into semiconducting oxides. We show how these tailored g-QDs may be used as active components in luminescent solar concentrators, photoelectrochemical cells for hydrogen generation, QD-sensitized solar cells and optical nanothermometers. In each case, we aim at providing insights on structure/property relationships and on how to optimize them toward improving device performance. Finally, we describe perspectives for future work, sketching new directions and opportunities in this field of research at the intersection between chemistry, physics, materials science and engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola Navarro-Pardo
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, P.R. China
- Centre for Energy, Materials and Telecommunications, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, 1650 Boulevard Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, Québec J3X 1S2, Canada
| | - Haiguang Zhao
- College of Physics and The Cultivation Base for State Key Laboratory, Qingdao University, No. 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao 266071, P.R. China
| | - Zhiming M. Wang
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, P.R. China
| | - Federico Rosei
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, P.R. China
- Centre for Energy, Materials and Telecommunications, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, 1650 Boulevard Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, Québec J3X 1S2, Canada
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20
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Zhou Y, Zhao H, Ma D, Rosei F. Harnessing the properties of colloidal quantum dots in luminescent solar concentrators. Chem Soc Rev 2018; 47:5866-5890. [DOI: 10.1039/c7cs00701a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
This review summarizes the recent progress, challenges and perspectives of luminescent solar concentrators based on colloidal quantum dots via harnessing their properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufeng Zhou
- Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications Research Centre
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique
- Varennes
- Canada
| | - Haiguang Zhao
- College of Physics & The Cultivation Base for State Key Laboratory
- Qingdao University
- P. R. China
| | - Dongling Ma
- Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications Research Centre
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique
- Varennes
- Canada
| | - Federico Rosei
- Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications Research Centre
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique
- Varennes
- Canada
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences
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Chen Q, Tong R, Chen X, Xue Y, Xie Z, Kuang Q, Zheng L. Ultrafine ZnO quantum dot-modified TiO2 composite photocatalysts: the role of the quantum size effect in heterojunction-enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. Catal Sci Technol 2018. [DOI: 10.1039/c7cy02310c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The role of the quantum size effect in heterojunction-enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution was investigated in the ultrafine ZnO QD-modified TiO2 nanowire model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Chen
- Department of Chemistry
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Xiamen University
- Xiamen
- P. R. China
| | - Ruifeng Tong
- Department of Chemistry
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Xiamen University
- Xiamen
- P. R. China
| | - Xianjie Chen
- Department of Chemistry
- Tsinghua University
- Beijing
- P. R. China
| | - Yakun Xue
- Department of Chemistry
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Xiamen University
- Xiamen
- P. R. China
| | - Zhaoxiong Xie
- Department of Chemistry
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Xiamen University
- Xiamen
- P. R. China
| | - Qin Kuang
- Department of Chemistry
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Xiamen University
- Xiamen
- P. R. China
| | - Lansun Zheng
- Department of Chemistry
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Xiamen University
- Xiamen
- P. R. China
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22
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Xu X, Tang W, Zhou Y, Bao Z, Su Y, Hu J, Zeng H. Steering Photoelectrons Excited in Carbon Dots into Platinum Cluster Catalyst for Solar-Driven Hydrogen Production. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2017; 4:1700273. [PMID: 29270339 PMCID: PMC5737228 DOI: 10.1002/advs.201700273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2017] [Revised: 08/12/2017] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
In composite photosynthetic systems, one most primary promise is to pursue the effect coupling among light harvesting, charge transfer, and catalytic kinetics. Herein, this study designs the reduced carbon dots (r-CDs) as both photon harvesters and photoelectron donors in combination with the platinum (Pt) clusters and fabricated the function-integrated r-CD/Pt photocatalyst through a photochemical route to control the anchoring of Pt clusters on r-CDs' surface for solar-driven hydrogen (H2) generation. In the obtained r-CD/Pt composite, the r-CDs absorb solar photons and transform them into energetic electrons, which transfer to the Pt clusters with favorable charge separation for H2 evolution reaction (HER). As a result, the efficient coupling of respective natures from r-CDs in photon harvesting and Pt in proton reduction is achieved through well-steered photoelectron transfer in the r-CD/Pt system to cultivate a remarkable and stable photocatalytic H2 evolution activity with an average rate of 681 µmol g-1 h-1. This work integrates two functional components into an effective HER photocatalyst and gains deep insights into the regulation of the function coupling in composite photosynthetic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyong Xu
- College of Physics Science and TechnologyYangzhou UniversityYangzhou225002China
| | - Wenshuai Tang
- College of Physics Science and TechnologyYangzhou UniversityYangzhou225002China
| | - Yiting Zhou
- College of Physics Science and TechnologyYangzhou UniversityYangzhou225002China
| | - Zhijia Bao
- College of Physics Science and TechnologyYangzhou UniversityYangzhou225002China
| | - Yuanchang Su
- College of Physics Science and TechnologyYangzhou UniversityYangzhou225002China
| | - Jingguo Hu
- College of Physics Science and TechnologyYangzhou UniversityYangzhou225002China
| | - Haibo Zeng
- Institute of Optoelectronics and NanomaterialsCollege of Materials Science and EngineeringNanjing University of Science and TechnologyNanjing210094China
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23
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Zhang H, Selopal GS, Zhou Y, Tong X, Benetti D, Jin L, Navarro-Pardo F, Wang Z, Sun S, Zhao H, Rosei F. Controlled synthesis of near-infrared quantum dots for optoelectronic devices. NANOSCALE 2017; 9:16843-16851. [PMID: 29072746 DOI: 10.1039/c7nr04950a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We designed a facile approach for the synthesis of PbS quantum dots (QDs) using thiourea and lead acetate as sources of sulfur and lead, respectively. The sizes of the PbS QDs could be systematically controlled by simply adjusting the reaction parameters. Cd post-treatment via a cation exchange method was performed to increase the stability of QDs. As a proof of concept, colloidal PbS QDs synthesized by using air-stable thiourea were employed as light harvesters for both (i) solar driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen generation and (ii) QDs sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs). For PEC hydrogen generation, similar saturated photocurrent densities are observed by using thiourea compared to bis(trimethylsilyl) sulfide, which is air-sensitive and unstable. For QDSSCs, the devices fabricated with QDs synthesized from thiourea reveal a better performance compared to devices fabricated with QDs synthesized from traditional bis(trimethylsilyl) sulfide. Our work demonstrates that this synthetic method is a promising alternative to the existing methodologies of PbS QDs and holds great potential for future solar technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Zhang
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, 1650 Boulevard Lionel-Boulet Varennes, Quebec J3X 1S2, Canada.
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24
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Photocatalytic properties of PbS/graphene oxide/polyaniline electrode for hydrogen generation. Sci Rep 2017; 7:14100. [PMID: 29074992 PMCID: PMC5658379 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-14582-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In this work, roll-graphene oxide (Ro-GO), polyaniline (PANI) nano/microparticles, and PbS nanoparticles were prepared by modified Hammer, oxidative polymerization, and chemical bath deposition methods, respectively. These nano/microstructures were characterized, optimized, and designed to form PbS/Ro-GO/PANI nano/microcomposite. Also, the ratios of PbS and Ro-GO were optimized, and the optimized composition of the used composite was 0.4 g PANI, 0.125 g Ro-GO, and 0.075 g PbS. The band gap values for PANI, PbS, Ro-GO, and PbS/Ro-GO/PANI rocomposite were 3, 1.13, 2.86, (1.16, 2) eV, respectively. Two photoelectrode assemblies, Au/PbS/Ro-GO/PANI and PbS/Ro-GO/PANI/ITO/glass were used for the photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen generation. In the first assembly 45 nm- Au layer was sputtered on the surface of a disk of PbS/Ro-GO/PANI composite. For the second assembly, a disk of PbS/Ro-GO/PANI composite was glued on ITO glass using Ag-THF paste. The lifetime efficiency values were 64.2 and 43.4% for the first and second electrode for 2 h, respectively. Finally, the incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) and photon-to-current efficiency (ABPE) were calculated under monochromatic illumination conditions. The optimum IPCE efficiency at 390 nm was 9.4% and 16.17%, whereas ABPE % efficiency was 1.01% and 1.75% for Au/PbS/Ro-GO/PANI and PbS/Ro-GO/PANI/ITO/glass, respectively.
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25
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Kitazono K, Akashi R, Fujiwara K, Akita A, Naya SI, Fujishima M, Tada H. Photocatalytic Synthesis of CdS(core)-CdSe(shell) Quantum Dots with a Heteroepitaxial Junction on TiO2
: Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Generation from Water. Chemphyschem 2017; 18:2840-2845. [DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201700708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2017] [Revised: 08/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kaoru Kitazono
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering; Kindai University; 3-4-1, Kowakae Higashi-Osaka Osaka 577-8502 Japan
| | - Ryo Akashi
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering; Kindai University; 3-4-1, Kowakae Higashi-Osaka Osaka 577-8502 Japan
| | - Keigo Fujiwara
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering; Kindai University; 3-4-1, Kowakae Higashi-Osaka Osaka 577-8502 Japan
| | - Atsunobu Akita
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering; Kindai University; 3-4-1, Kowakae Higashi-Osaka Osaka 577-8502 Japan
| | - Shin-ichi Naya
- Environmental Research Laboratory; Kindai University; 3-4-1, Kowakae Higashi-Osaka Osaka 577-8502 Japan
| | - Musashi Fujishima
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering; Kindai University; 3-4-1, Kowakae Higashi-Osaka Osaka 577-8502 Japan
| | - Hiroaki Tada
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering; Kindai University; 3-4-1, Kowakae Higashi-Osaka Osaka 577-8502 Japan
- Environmental Research Laboratory; Kindai University; 3-4-1, Kowakae Higashi-Osaka Osaka 577-8502 Japan
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27
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Kim TY, Lee TK, Kim BS, Park SC, Lee S, Im SS, Bisquert J, Kang YS. Triumphing over Charge Transfer Limitations of PEDOT Nanofiber Reduction Catalyst by 1,2-Ethanedithiol Doping for Quantum Dot Solar Cells. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2017; 9:1877-1884. [PMID: 28004908 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.6b12536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Charge transfer between a conducting polymer-based counter electrode (CE) and a polysulfide (S2-/Sn2-) electrolyte mediator is a key limitation to improvements of solar energy conversion efficiency (ECE) in quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSCs). In this paper, 1,2-ethanedithiol (EDT) was doped into nanofibrous poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT NF) to overcome the charge transfer limitation between PEDOT NF and S2-/Sn2-. EDT not only helps to reduce the aggregation and thus enhance the linearization of the PEDOT chains but also changes the molecular conformation of the PEDOT chains from a benzoid to a quinoid structure. EDT-doped PEDOT NF-based CEs showed almost 3.7 times higher conductivity, better electrocatalytic activity, and improved compatibility with S2-/Sn2- in an aqueous electrolyte. As a result, the charge transfer resistance between the polymer-based CE and the S2-/Sn2- electrolyte was significantly reduced, resulting in over 3% ECE in QDSCs, more than double that of a bare PEDOT NF-based CE.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Juan Bisquert
- Institute of Advanced Materials (INAM), Universitat Jaume I , 12006 Castelló, Spain
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University , 21589 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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Zhao H, Jin L, Zhou Y, Bandar A, Fan Z, Govorov AO, Mi Z, Sun S, Rosei F, Vomiero A. Green synthesis of near infrared core/shell quantum dots for photocatalytic hydrogen production. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2016; 27:495405. [PMID: 27834311 DOI: 10.1088/0957-4484/27/49/495405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Quantum dots (QDs) are attractive systems for potential applications in future solar energy technologies, due to their optical properties which are tunable as a function of size and composition. In this study, we synthesized PbS QDs with first excitonic peak in the range 1060 to 1300 nm using a PbCl2/sulfur molar ratio of 10:1. The first excitonic absorption peak from 1300 to 950 nm of the PbS/CdS core/shell QDs can be further synthesized via the cation exchange approach. Our method resulted in high quantum yield, good stability, monodisperse QD solutions with a full surface coverage by excess Cd cations. In addition, we used our core/shell QDs in a photoelectrochemical cell for hydrogen generation. This heterostructure exhibited a saturated photocurrent as high as 3.3 mA cm-2, leading to ∼29 ml cm-2 d-1 hydrogen generation, indicating the strong potential of our core/shell QDs for applications in water splitting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiguang Zhao
- Centre for Energy, Materials and Telecommunications, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, 1650 Boul. Lionel-Boulet, Varennes (QC) J3X 1S2, Canada
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