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Introduction of polysulfide anions to increase the loading quantity of PbS quantum-dots for efficient solid-state quantum-dot sensitized TiO2 nanorod array solar cells

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Abstract

To increase the loading quantity of PbS quantum-dots, the polysulfide anion (S22−) was firstly introduced in successive ionic layer absorption and reaction process to prepare PbS quantum-dot thin films on TiO2 nanorod arrays. The influence of polysulfide anion (S22−) concentrations in the precursor solution on the deposition of PbS quantum-dot thin films was systematically investigated and the photovoltaic performance of the corresponding solid-state PbS quantum-dot sensitized solar cells with spiro-OMeTAD was evaluated. The loading quantity and crystallinity of PbS quantum-dots increased with the increase of polysulfide anion (S22−) concentrations from 0 to 1 mM and 2 mM. When the polysulfide anion (S22−) concentration was 1 mM and the surface of TiO2 nanorod arrays was modified by 3-mercaptopropionic acid, the optimal photoelectric conversion efficiency of 4.75% was achieved, along with the open-circuit voltage of 0.56 V, short-circuit photocurrent density of 13.00 mA cm−2 and fill factor of 64.8%. The photoelectric conversion efficiency of 4.75% was relatively high in solid-state PbS quantum-dot sensitized solar cells using successive ionic layer absorption and reactions.

To increase the loading quantity of PbS quantum-dots, the polysulfide anion (S22−) was firstly introduced in successive ionic layer absorption and reaction process to prepare PbS quantum-dot thin films on TiO2 nanorod arrays. The optimal photoelectric conversion efficiency of 4.75% was achieved, along with the open-circuit voltage of 0.56 V, short-circuit photocurrent density of 13.00 mA cm−2 and fill factor of 64.8%.

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Funding

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51272061, 51472071) and Talent Project of Hefei University of Technology (75010-037004, 75010-037003).

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Correspondence to Chengwu Shi.

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Lv, K., Shi, C., Ma, C. et al. Introduction of polysulfide anions to increase the loading quantity of PbS quantum-dots for efficient solid-state quantum-dot sensitized TiO2 nanorod array solar cells. J Nanopart Res 21, 2 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-018-4446-5

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