DataVXACS Energy LettersPaper
journal article·2019-06-14Open access

Controlled Steric Hindrance Enables Efficient Ligand Exchange for Stable, Infrared-Bandgap Quantum Dot Inks

Mengxia Liu, Fanglin Che, Bin Sun, Oleksandr Voznyy, Andrew Proppe, Rahim Munir, Mingyang Wei, Rafael Quintero-Bermudez, Lilei Hu, Sjoerd Hoogland, Andreas Mandelis, Aram Amassian, Shana O. Kelley, F. Pelayo García de Arquer, Edward H. Sargent

ACS Energy Letters· Volume 4· Issue 6
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Source abstract

Abstract

Colloidal quantum dots (CQDs), which benefit from a size-tuned bandgap, are a solution-processed material for infrared energy harvesting. This characteristic enables the fabrication of solar cells that form tandem devices with silicon. Unfortunately, in the case of CQDs having diameters sufficiently large (>4 nm) so that the nanoparticles absorb light well beyond silicon’s bandgap, conventional ligand exchanges fail. Here we report a strategy wherein short-chain carboxylates, used as a steric hindrance controller, facilitate the ligand exchange process on small-bandgap CQDs. We demonstrate that the net energy barrier to replace original capping ligands with lead halide anions is decreased when short carboxylates are involved. The approach produces more complete ligand exchange that enables improved packing density and monodispersity. This contributes to a 2-fold reduction in the trap state density compared to the best previously reported exchange. We demonstrate solar cells that achieve a record infrared photon-to-electron conversion efficiency at the excitonic peak.
Source: openalex_inverted_index · Quality: baseline

Research context

Nanomaterials

OpenAlex topics: Quantum Dots Synthesis And Properties · Perovskite Materials and Applications · Chalcogenide Semiconductor Thin Films

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, 10 King’s College Road, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G4, Canada

Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), KAUST Solar Center (KSC), Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, 4700 KAUST, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia

Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Kekuléstrasse 5, Berlin 12489, Germany

Center for Advanced Diffusion-Wave and Photoacoustic Technologies (CADIPT), Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G8, Canada

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3M2, Canada

Funding

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada · Ontario Research Fund Research Excellence Program

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