Cesium carbonate functionalized graphene quantum dots as stable electron-selective layer for improvement of inverted polymer solar cells

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2014 Jan 22;6(2):1092-9. doi: 10.1021/am404638e. Epub 2014 Jan 7.

Abstract

Solution processable inverted bulk heterojunction (BHJ) polymer solar cells (PSCs) are promising alternatives to conventional silicon solar cells because of their low cost roll-to-roll production and flexible device applications. In this work, we demonstrated that Cs2CO3 functionalized graphene quantum dots (GQDs-Cs2CO3) could be used as efficient electron-selective layers in inverted PSCs. Compared with Cs2CO3 buffered devices, the GQDs-Cs2CO3 buffered devices show 56% improvement in power conversion efficiency, as well as 200% enhancement in stability, due to the better electron-extraction, suppression of leakage current, and inhibition of Cs(+) ion diffusion at the buffer/polymer interface by GQDs-Cs2CO3. This work provides a thermal-annealing-free, solution-processable method for fabricating electron-selective layer in inverted PSCs, which should be beneficial for the future development of high performance all-solution-processed or roll-to-roll processed PSCs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't