Assessment of toxicity reduction in ZnS substituted CdS:P3HT bulk heterojunction solar cells fabricated using a single-source precursor deposition

Abstract

An investigation into how replacing CdS with ZnS reduces toxicity and alters the power conversion efficiency in photovoltaic devices.

Extraction and purification of Lawsonia inermis (laali) dyes for applications in dye-sensitized solar cell

“…In another instance, the volume of materials used for Silicon (Si) solar cell fabrication (~200 µm and above [1]) and the sawed wafer from ingots present huge material waste [2]. Its degradation at the termination of the device lifespan reportedly causes about 1 kg of silicon to release approximately 1.58 kg of CO2 into the atmosphere [3]. The alternative materials used in thin-film technologies also pose some possible threats [4], coupled with the challenge of limited resources as they are not as abundant as Si.…”

P3HT:ZnS Based Photovoltaic Devices with Enhanced Performance Assisted by Oxidised Carbon Nanotubes

“…P3HT was selected as it is a well research and utilised electron-donating component of many solar cells (3,4). ZnS was selected due to its low associated toxicity, an important factor often overlooked when selecting photovoltaic materials (5,6). To simplify the fabrication of these photovoltaic materials, a single-step deposition method was used with a single-source precursor (6)(7)(8).…”

“…ZnS was selected due to its low associated toxicity, an important factor often overlooked when selecting photovoltaic materials (5,6). To simplify the fabrication of these photovoltaic materials, a single-step deposition method was used with a single-source precursor (6)(7)(8). A zinc ethyl xanthate (ZnXan) precursor was selected due to the low temperatures required for decomposition to ZnS, causing little damage to the polymeric component, allowing for a single step deposition of a hybrid bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices (6,(9)(10)(11)(12).…”

Synthesis and performance optimisation of spray coated Cu2ZnSnS4 absorbing layers from single-source xanthate precursors

“…need for an additional sulfur source. 23 Therefore, it is highly beneficial to select an appropriate precursor for 24 the single-step deposition of CZTS active layers, while also utilising a highly 25 scalable process. Furthermore, the selected precursor should preferably func- 26 tion as a low temperature precursor, as it has been well reported that high 27 temperatures can result in the loss volatile components (such as SnS and S) 28 damaging the stoichiometry of the CZTS active layer [18,20,[22][23][24].…”

“…Furthermore, the selected precursor should preferably func- 26 tion as a low temperature precursor, as it has been well reported that high 27 temperatures can result in the loss volatile components (such as SnS and S) 28 damaging the stoichiometry of the CZTS active layer [18,20,[22][23][24]. 29 Metal xanthates have been used as a low temperature single-source pre- 30 cursor to form metal sulfides, with the general formula [M(S 2 COR) n ], where 31 R is an alkyl group, and have been shown to be viable precursors for Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 32 [21, [25][26][27][28][29]. It has been suggested that metal xanthates decompose via the 33 Chugaev elimination reaction [30], as shown in Figure 1.…”