Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Green Quantum Dots for Solar Cell Application

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Green Materials

  • 13 Accesses

Synonyms

Environmentally friendly materials; Non-toxic materials

Definition

Nanosized semiconductors such as quantum dots have been used as sensitizers for the application of solar cells (here known as quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells, QDSSC). In recent years, the power conversion efficiency of QDSSCs have exceeded 12%, where most of the reported high-performance QDSSCs are cadmium or lead based. In order to minimize the environmental impact throughout the life cycle of QDSSC, nontoxic or “green” materials are introduced as the viable sensitizers.

Introduction

As world population continues to grow, the appetite for energy rises in tandem. The needs for energy extend to all aspects of life, be it industrial, commercial, or residential. At the advent of industrial revolution, human had acquired the knowledge to convert power source into useful energy. This resulted in the expansion of economy and industrial innovation. Electric energy was widely used with the invention of dynamo and...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Bai B, Kou D, Zhou W, Zhou Z, Wu S (2015) Application of quaternary Cu2ZnSnS4 quantum dot-sensitized solar cells based on hydrolysis approach. Green Chem 17:4377–4382

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chava RM, Kang M (2017) Ag2S quantum dot sensitized zinc oxide photoanodes for environment friendly photovoltaic devices. Mater Lett 199:188–191

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chebrolu VT, Kim H-J (2019) Recent progress in quantum dot sensitized solar cells: an inclusive review of photoanode, sensitizer, electrolyte, and the counter electrode. J Mater Chem C 7:4911–4933

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jun HK (2021) Solution-processed quantum dot-sensitized solar cell based on “green” materials. In: Cheong KY, Chen L-C (eds) Sustainable materials for next generation energy devices. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 133–148

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Jun HK, Careem MA, Arof AK (2013) Quantum dot-sensitized solar cells – perspective and recent developments: a review of Cd chalcogenide quantum dots as sensitizers. Renew Sust Energy Rev 22:148–167

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kim J-Y, Yang J, Yu JH, Baek W, Lee C-H, Son HJ, Hyeon T, Ko MJ (2015) Highly efficient copper-indium-selenide quantum dot solar cells: suppression of carrier recombination by controlled ZnS overlayers. ACS Nano 9:11286–11295

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mora-Sero I (2020) Current challenges in the development of quantum dot sensitized solar cells. Adv Energy Mater 10:2001774

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mu L, Liu C, Jia J, Zhou X, Lin Y (2013) Dual post-treatment: a strategy towards high efficiency quantum dot sensitized solar cells. J Mater Chem A 1:8353–8357

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pan Z, Rao H, Mora-Sero BJ, Zhong X (2018) Quantum dot-sensitized solar cells. Chem Soc Rev 47:7659–7702

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peng W, Du J, Pan Z, Nakazawa N, Sun J, Du Z, Shen G, Yu J, Hu JS, Shen Q, Zhong X (2017) Alloying strategy in Cu-In-Ga-Se quantum dots for high efficiency quantum dot sensitized solar cells. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 9:5328–5336

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rao H, Zhou M, Pan Z, Zhong X (2020) Quantum dot materials engineering boosting the quantum dot sensitized solar cell efficiency over 13%. J Mater Chem A 8:10233–10241

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reagan B, Gratzel M (1991) A low-cost, high-efficiency solar cell based on dye-sensitized colloidal TiO2 films. Nature 353:737–740

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Song H, Zhang Z, Rao H, Wang W, Fang Y, Pan Z, Zhong X (2021) Improving the efficiency of quantum dot sensitized solar cells beyond 15% via secondary deposition. J Am Chem Soc 143:4790–4800

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang G, Wei H, Shi J, Xu Y, Wu H, Luo Y, Li D, Meng Q (2017) Significantly enhanced energy conversion efficiency of CuInS2 quantum dot sensitized solar cells by controlling surface defects. Nano Energy 35:17–25

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang J, Wang J, Zhao K, Izuishi T, Li Y, Shen Q, Zhong X (2015a) CdSeTe/CdS type-I core/shell quantum dot sensitized solar cells with efficiency over 9%. J Phys Chem C 119:28800–28808

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang S, Zhao P, Zhao X, Qu L, Lai X (2015b) InP and Sn:InP based quantum dot sensitized solar cells. J Mater Chem A 3:21922–21929

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yue L, Rao H, Du J, Pan Z, Yu J, Zhong X (2018) Comparative advantages of Zn-Cu-In-Se alloy QDs in the construction of quantum dot-sensitized solar cells. RSC Adv 8:3637–3645

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zaban A, Micic OI, Greg BA, Nozik AJ (1998) Photosensitization of nanoporous TiO2 electrodes with InP quantum dots. Langmuir 14:3153–3156

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang L, Pan Z, Wang W, Du J, Ren Z, Shen Q, Zhong X (2017) Copper deficient Zn-Cu-In-Se quantum dot sensitized solar cells for high efficiency. J Mater Chem A 5:21442–21451

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kajang, Malaysia

    Hieng Kiat Jun

  2. Centre for Photonics and Advanced Materials Research (CPAMR), Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kajang, Malaysia

    Hieng Kiat Jun

Authors
  1. Hieng Kiat Jun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hieng Kiat Jun .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Pattimura, Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia

    Chinnappan Baskar

  2. Centre for Nanofibers & Nanotechnology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Seeram Ramakrishna

  3. Manufacturing and Civil Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Gvovik, Norway

    Angela Daniela La Rosa

Section Editor information

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering: Center for Nanofibers and Nanotechnology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Amutha Chinnappan

  2. Research and Development Center, Teerthanker Mahaveer University, Moradabad, India

    Chinnappan Baskar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Jun, H.K. (2022). Green Quantum Dots for Solar Cell Application. In: Baskar, C., Ramakrishna, S., Daniela La Rosa, A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Green Materials. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-4921-9_6-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-4921-9_6-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-16-4921-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-16-4921-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Chemistry and Mat. ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation