Environmentally friendly Mn-alloyed core/shell quantum dots for high-efficiency photoelectrochemical cells. Issue 21 (20th April 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Rui; Tong, Xin; Channa, Ali Imran; Zeng, Qiugui; Sun, Jiachen; Liu, Cheng; Li, Xin; Xu, Jingyin; Lin, Feng; Selopal, Gurpreet Singh; Rosei, Federico; Zhang, Yanning; Wu, Jiang; Zhao, Haiguang; Vomiero, Alberto; Sun, Xuping; Wang, Zhiming M.
• Is Part Of: Journal of materials chemistry. Volume 8:Issue 21(2020)
• Page Start: 10736
• Page End: 10741
• Publication Date: 2020-04-20
• Subjects: Materials -- Research -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Analytic -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Research -- Periodicals; 543.0284
• DOI: 10.1039/d0ta00953a
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2050-7488

Abstract

Abstract : A high performance photoelectrochemical cell fabricated using eco-friendly Mn-alloyed CuInS2 /ZnS core/shell quantum dots is demonstrated. Abstract : Colloidal quantum dot (QD)-based photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells are cost-effective devices showing remarkable solar-to-fuel conversion efficiency. However, the extensive use of highly toxic elements ( e.g. Pb and Cd) in QDs' synthesis and device fabrication is still a major challenge towards their practical development. Herein, we fabricate a solar-driven PEC cell based on environmentally friendly Mn-alloyed CuInS2 (MnCIS)/ZnS core/shell QDs, showing more favorable band alignment, efficient charge transfer, reduced charge recombination and lower charge transfer resistance with respect to the control device fabricated using unalloyed CuInS2 (CIS)/ZnS core/shell QDs. An unprecedented photocurrent density of ∼5.7 mA cm −2 with excellent stability was obtained for the as-fabricated MnCIS/ZnS core/shell QD-based PEC device when operated under standard one sun irradiation (AM 1.5G, 100 mW cm −2 ). These results indicate that the transition metal-alloyed environmentally friendly core/shell QDs are promising for next-generation solar technologies.