The emerging roles of carbon dots in solar photovoltaics: a critical review

Essner, Jeremy B.; Baker, Gary A.

doi:10.1039/c7en00179g

Cited by 125 publications

(135 citation statements)

References 257 publications

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“…Carbon nanodots (CNDs) are interesting carbon nanomaterials for optoelectronic applications because of their strong luminescence emissions, good water solubility, tunable optical and electronic properties, and photochemical stability . CNDs typically comprise sp 2 ‐hybridized carbon atoms and present oxygen‐containing functional groups (e.g., epoxy, ether, carbonyl, hydroxyl, carboxylic acid) on their surfaces.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…CNDs exhibit interesting photoluminescence (PL) properties because of their sizes, edge shapes, and surface functional groups, and have demonstrated potential applicability in sensing, catalysis, biolabeling, photovoltaic devices, optoelectronic devices, and energy storage. [13d,e,14] CNDs have been employed as active layers, electrolytes, dopants, hole transporting layers, and interfacial‐modified layers (IFLs) for dye‐sensitized organic and perovskite solar cells . Chen and co‐workers first demonstrated the use of amino‐based CNDs as efficient zinc oxide (ZnO) or Al‐doped ZnO IFLs for OPVs and observed improvements in PCE of up to 10.24%.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Carbonized Bamboo‐Derived Carbon Nanodots as Efficient Cathode Interfacial Layers in High‐Performance Organic Photovoltaics

Juang

Kao

Wang

et al. 2018

Adv Materials Inter

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have been demonstrated as efficient IFmodified layer for OPV applications, [2] including self-organized molecules, [3] conjugated materials, [2b] ionic compounds (e.g., electrolytes), [4] metal oxides, [1g,5] and nonconjugated organic materials. [6] Typically, the mechanism through which the PCE is improved relies on (i) passivation of interfaces to suppress carrier recombination, [7] (ii) enhanced carrier extraction, [8] (iii) enhancing interfacial dipoles and modifying the work function (built-in dipole) of the electrode to ensure better energy levels alignment, [9] (iv) smoothing the surface of the substrate, [10] and (v) optimizing the blend film morphology. [11] Carbon nanodots (CNDs) are interesting carbon nanomaterials for optoelectronic applications because of their strong luminescence emissions, good water solubility, tunable optical and electronic properties, and photochemical stability. [12] CNDs typically comprise sp 2 -hybridized carbon atoms and present oxygen-containing functional groups (e.g., epoxy, ether, carbonyl, hydroxyl, carboxylic acid) on their surfaces. These oxygen-rich functionalities impart the CNDs with high water dispersibility and make them ready for modification with organic, inorganic, or biological materials. [13] CNDs exhibit interesting photoluminescence (PL) properties because of their sizes, edge shapes, and surface functional groups, and have demonstrated potential applicability in sensing, catalysis, biolabeling, photovoltaic devices, optoelectronic devices, and energy storage. [13d,e,14] CNDs have been employed as active layers, electrolytes, dopants, hole transporting layers, and interfacialmodified layers (IFLs) for dye-sensitized organic and perovskite solar cells. [12] Chen and co-workers first demonstrated the use of amino-based CNDs as efficient zinc oxide (ZnO) or Al-doped ZnO IFLs for OPVs and observed improvements in PCE of up to 10.24%. [13c] Yang et al. used CNDs as a cathode [indium tin oxide (ITO)]-modifying layer that enhanced the interfacial dipole, thereby decreasing the work function (WF) of the electrode and increasing the performance of derived OPV devices from 4.14% to 8.13% when using a poly [4,8bis(5-(2-ethylhexyl)thien-2-yl)benzo [1,2-b:4,5-b′-dithiopheneco-3-fluorothieno[3,4-b] thiophene-2-carboxylate](PTB7-Th)/ phenyl-C 71 -butyric acid methyl ester (PC 71 BM) blend film as the active layer. [15] These previous studies highlight the potential emerging applications of CNDs as IFLs. CNDs can be prepared

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Carbonized Bamboo‐Derived Carbon Nanodots as Efficient Cathode Interfacial Layers in High‐Performance Organic Photovoltaics

Juang

Kao

Wang

et al. 2018

Adv Materials Inter

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“…67,68 However, CNDs have never been used as the absorbing layer alone. 69 In addition to low-toxicity and compatibility with environmentally sustainable strategies, Cbased materials have very high absorption coefficients and offer great opportunities with tunable properties.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmentally friendly nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots for next generation solar cells

Carolan

Rocks

Padmanaban

et al. 2017

Sustainable Energy Fuels

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Shine on you crazy carbon! In this work, nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) are synthesized using a simple custom atmospheric pressure microplasma. The method is facile, rapid, and environmentally friendly and the N-CQDs can be produced in a few minutes with no need for high temperature, complicated chemical techniques, or surface ligands. The N-CQDs are formed using molecular precursors and can be produced in different solvent mixtures. Material characterization techniques show a high degree of nitrogen doping on the QD surface with the amount of nitrogen depending on initial reaction conditions. The N-CQDs show interesting quantum confined optical properties that depend on the amount of nitrogen incorporation. Importantly, the band energy structure of the N-CQDs is elucidated and they are incorporated into a photovoltaic device as the photoactive layer achieving an extraordinary open-circuit voltage of 1.8 V and a power conversion efficiency of 0.8% (champion device), amongst the highest reported to date for group IV and carbon based quantum dots.

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“…their use as electrode modifying layers in PSCs and OPVs. [10] Yang and co-workers used CNDs as electron modifying layers and obtained a PSC demonstrating a PCE of 19%. [11] In a previous study, we reported the use of carbonized bamboo-derived CNDs as ZnO modifiers for OPV applications; the carboxylic acid (COOH) and hydroxyl (OH) group-rich CNDs modified the work function of the ZnO and optimized the blend morphology, resulting in high-performance OPVs.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Carbon Nanodot Additives Realize High‐Performance Air‐Stable p–i–n Perovskite Solar Cells Providing Efficiencies of up to 20.2%

Hsu

Hsiao

Juang

et al. 2018

Advanced Energy Materials

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solar cells, and organic light emitting diodes. Because their perovskite precursors are commercially available, the study of PSCs has recently become an important emerging scientific field. [1] Today, the critical issues for PSC development are related to increasing their performance and stability. [2] Because the short-circuit current densities (J sc ) of PSC devices have almost approached their theoretical limit, efforts directed toward further increasing the performance have been based on increasing their open-circuit voltages (V oc ) and fill factors (FFs). Such approaches will necessitate optimizing the morphology, the interfacial layers, the device architectures, and the hole/electron transporting layers. [3] With advances in device engineering and materials, the power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of PSCs have skyrocketed from 3.8% to 22.7% within the last six years. [1e,f,3c,4] Efforts at optimizing the morphologies of PSC films (i.e., their grain size, coverage, and crystallinity) have directly led to greater PSC performance. For example, variations in the solvents, thermal engineering techniques, and additives have all played roles in improving the quality of the resulting perovskite films. [5] Many types of additives-including metal/organic halide salts, solvents, Lewis bases, [6] inorganic acids, polymers, [7] and fullerenes-can enhance the morphologies and efficiencies of PSCs. [8] Considering the complexity of perovskite formation, the vast array of fabrication parameters, and the myriad materials that can be involved in the process, there remains plenty of room for new discoveries in this field.Because perovskite films are generally prepared through solution processes, the presence of defects-ones that cause nonradiative energy loss and decrease the values of V oc and efficiencies-is unavoidable. Tuning the composition to passivate the defects of perovskites (using such materials as pyridine [9] and polymers [8a] ) can be an efficient means of improving the performance of PSCs. In this present study, we employed carbon nanodots (CNDs) as additives that efficiently tailor the optoelectronic properties of perovskites. Because of their nanoscale dimensions, tunable optoelectronic properties, and ready synthesis (to present various functional groups), the study of CNDs has experienced rapid development, especially for Carbonized bamboo-derived carbon nanodots (CNDs) as efficient additives for application in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are reported. These carboxylic acid-and hydroxyl-rich CNDs interact with the perovskite through hydrogen bonds and, thereby, promote the carriers' lifetimes and realize high-performance p-i-n PSCs having the structure indium tin oxide/ NiO x /CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 (MAPbI 3 )/PC 61 BM/BCP/Ag. As a result of interactions between the CNDs and the perovskite, the presence of the nonvolatile CND additive increases the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the PSC from 14.48% ± 0.39% to 16.47% ± 0.26%. Furthermore, adding urea, a Lewis base, increases the PCE to 20.2%-the re...

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The emerging roles of carbon dots in solar photovoltaics: a critical review

Abstract: Nanoscale carbon dots are promising candidates as inexpensive and sustainable alternatives to conventional materials for fabricating competitive solar photovoltaic devices.

Cited by 125 publications

References 257 publications

Carbonized Bamboo‐Derived Carbon Nanodots as Efficient Cathode Interfacial Layers in High‐Performance Organic Photovoltaics

Carbonized Bamboo‐Derived Carbon Nanodots as Efficient Cathode Interfacial Layers in High‐Performance Organic Photovoltaics

Environmentally friendly nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots for next generation solar cells

Carbon Nanodot Additives Realize High‐Performance Air‐Stable p–i–n Perovskite Solar Cells Providing Efficiencies of up to 20.2%

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