Bis(stearoyl) Sulfide: A Stable, Odor-Free Sulfur Precursor for High-Efficiency Metal Sulfide Quantum Dot Photovoltaics

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

The synthesis of metal sulfide nanocrystals is a crucial step in the fabrication of quantum dot (QD) photovoltaics. Control over the QD size during synthesis allows for precise tuning of their optical and electronic properties, making them an appealing choice for electronic applications. This flexibility has led to the implementation of QDs in both highly-efficient single junction solar cells and other optoelectronic devices including photodetectors and transistors. Most commonly, metal sulfide QDs are synthesized using the hot-injection method utilizing a toxic, and air- and moisture-sensitive sulfur source: bis(trimethylsilyl) sulfide ((TMS)2S). Here, bis(stearoyl) sulfide (St2S) is presented as a new type of air-stable sulfur precursor for the synthesis of sulfide-based QDs, which yields uniform, pure, and stable nanocrystals. Photovoltaic devices based on these QDs are equally efficient as those fabricated by (TMS)2S but exhibit enhanced operational stability. These results highlight that St2S can be widely adopted for the synthesis of metal sulfide QDs for a range of optoelectronic applications.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number2203965
Number of pages11
JournalAdvanced energy materials
Volume13
Issue number20
Publication statusPublished - 25 May 2023
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

WOS 000963801400001

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

Keywords

  • colloidal nanocrystals, photovoltaics, quantum dots, stability, Stability, Quantum dots, Colloidal nanocrystals, Photovoltaics