Article Title
Solution-processed bulk heterojunction solar cells based on interpenetrating CdS nanowires and carbon nanotubes
Authors
Zhen Li, Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials Processing Technology and Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Jinquan Wei, Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials Processing Technology and Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Peixu Li, Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials Processing Technology and Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Luhui Zhang, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Enzheng Shi, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Chunyan Ji, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Jiang Liu, Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials Processing Technology and Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Daming Zhuang, Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials Processing Technology and Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
hendong Liu, State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Ji Zhou, State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Yuanyuan Shang, Centre for Composite Materials and Structures, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150080, China
Yibin Li, Centre for Composite Materials and Structures, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150080, China
Kunlin Wang, Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials Processing Technology and Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Hongwei Zhu, Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials Processing Technology and Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Dehai Wu, Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials Processing Technology and Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Anyuan Cao, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Keywords
Bulk heterojunction, solar cell, CdS nanowire, carbon nanotube
Abstract
ABSTRACT Incorporation of a bulk heterojunction is an effective strategy to enhance charge separation and carrier transport in solar cells, and has been adopted in polymeric and colloidal nanoparticle solar cells to improve energy conversion efficiency. Here, we report bulk heterojunction solar cells based on one-dimensional structures, fabricated by mixing CdS nanowires (CdS NWs) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to form a composite film with mutually interpenetrating networks through a simple solution–filtration process. Within the composite, the CNT network boosts charge separation by extracting holes generated from CdS NWs and also forms the transport path for carrier collection by the external electrode. At an optimized CNT loading of about 5 wt.%, the CdS NW/CNT bulk heterojunction solar cells showed three orders of magnitude increase in photocurrent and cell efficiency compared to a cell with the same materials arranged in a stacked layer configuration with a plain heterojunction. External quantum efficiency and photoluminescence studies revealed the efficient charge transfer process from photoexcited CdS NWs to CNTs in the mixed form. Our results indicate that the bulk heterojunction structure strategy can be extended to semiconductor NWs and CNTs and can greatly improve solar cell performance.
Graphical Abstract
Publisher
Tsinghua University Press
Recommended Citation
Zhen Li,Jinquan Wei,Peixu Li,Luhui Zhang,Enzheng Shi,Chunyan Ji,Jiang Liu,Daming Zhuang,Zhendong Liu,Ji Zhou,Yuanyuan Shang,Yibin Li,Kunlin Wang,Hongwei Zhu,Dehai Wu,Anyuan Cao, Solution-processed bulk heterojunction solar cells based on interpenetrating CdS nanowires and carbon nanotubes. NanoRes.2012, 5(9): 595–604
