Biobased Cellulosic–CuInS₂ Nanocomposites for Optoelectronic Applications

Abstract

A generic approach to design optoelectronic devices using renewable biopolymers is demonstrated. As a proof of principle, a biopolymer/CuInS 2 nanocomponent-based solar cell has been assembled by using a cellulose derivative with a reasonable life cycle performance, namely trimethylsilyl cellulose (TMSC). The solar cells are manufactured using a mixture of copper and indium xanthates as precursors, which decompose and form CIS nanoparticles within the biopolymer matrix during a thermal treatment, which was investigated by in situ combined grazing incidence small and wide angle X-ray scattering experiments. The growth of the nanoparticles is thereby controlled by the TMSC matrix. The nanocrystals exhibit an average diameter of approx. 4 nm. Using this composite, it was possible to fabricate solar cells, generating current in a wide range of the solar spectrum and exhibiting power conversion efficiencies of ca. 1%.

Homogeneous cellulose thin films by regeneration of cellulose xanthate: properties and characterization

“…Therefore, they have been proposed as supports for biosensors, as matrix for catalysis as well as material for optoelectronic devices such as transistors and solar cells (Blomstedt et al 2007;Filpponen et al 2012;Niegelhell et al 2016;Orelma et al 2011Orelma et al , 2012Reishofer et al 2017;Taajamaa et al 2013;Wolfberger et al 2015). Further, these films have been employed as models to investigate and to better understand interactions of water with cellulose, particularly in the context of cell wall structure and their relation to industrially applied drying processes (Ehmann et al 2015;Niinivaara et al 2015Niinivaara et al , 2016.…”

Electrolyte membranes based on ultrafine fibers of acetylated cellulose for improved and long-lasting dye-sensitized solar cells

“…In conventional dye solar cells, cellulosics have been utilized for decades, mainly as component of screen printable pastes that are burned off during device preparation (Dhungel and Park 2010). In addition, lignocellulosics have been demonstrated as components of solar cells upon carbonization, for use as catalyst at the counter electrode (Wang et al 2014;Xu et al 2018;Zhou et al 2018), or as photoelectrode in the form of cellulose nanofibers (Bella et al 2017), in sandwiched-type thin films of cellulose/CuInS 2 (Reishofer et al 2017;Weißl et al 2019), or paperbased substrates (Hashmi et al 2014;Wang and Kerr 2011). In this contribution, cellulose acetate (CA) is used as membrane material to retain electrolyte in dye solar cells.…”

Important Phase Control of Indium Sulfide Nanomaterials by Choice of Indium(III) Xanthate Precursor and Thermolysis Temperature

“…In contrast, very few indium xanthate complexes have been prepared and used as molecular precursors to afford indium sulfide and related nanocomposites . However, interest has mainly been on thin films , …”