Novel Structures for PV Solar Cells: Fabrication of Cu/Cu2S-MWCNTs 1D-Hybrid Nanocomposite

Sevinj Nuriyeva; Aynura Karimova; Habiba Shirinova; Sevinj Jafarova; Ghulam Abbas; Alexandr Zamchiy; Hugo Aguas

doi:10.3390/mi15111318

Novel Structures for PV Solar Cells: Fabrication of Cu/Cu₂S-MWCNTs 1D-Hybrid Nanocomposite

Micromachines (Basel). 2024 Oct 29;15(11):1318. doi: 10.3390/mi15111318.

Authors

Sevinj Nuriyeva¹, Aynura Karimova¹, Habiba Shirinova¹, Sevinj Jafarova¹, Ghulam Abbas², Alexandr Zamchiy², Hugo Aguas²

Affiliations

¹ Nano Research Laboratory, Center of Excellence in Research, Development and Innovation, Baku State University, Baku 1148, Azerbaijan.
² CENIMAT|i3N, Department of Materials Science, School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon and CEMOP/UNINOVA, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal.

Abstract

The production of cost-effective novel materials for PV solar cells with long-term stability, high energy conversion efficiency, enhanced photon absorption, and easy electron transport has stimulated great interest in the research community over the last decades. In the presented work, Cu/Cu₂S-MWCNTs nanocomposites were produced and analyzed in the framework of potential applications for PV solar cells. Firstly, the surface of the produced one-dimensional Cu was covered by Cu₂S nanoflake. XRD data prove the formation of both Cu and Cu₂S structures. The length and diameter of the one-dimensional Cu wire were 5-15 µm and 80-200 nm, respectively. The thickness of the Cu₂S nanoflake layer on the surface of the Cu was up to 100 nm. In addition, the Cu/Cu₂S system was enriched with MWCNTs. MWCNs with a diameter of 50 nm interact by forming a conductive network around the Cu/Cu₂S system and facilitate quick electron transport. Raman spectra also prove good interfacial coupling between the Cu/Cu₂S system and MWCNTs, which is crucial for charge separation and electron transfer in PV solar cells. Furthermore, UV studies show that Cu/Cu₂S-MWCNTs nanocomposites have a wide absorption band. Thus, MWCNTs, Cu, and Cu₂S exhibit an intense absorption spectrum at 260 nm, 590 nm, and 972 nm, respectively. With a broad absorption band spanning the visible-infrared spectrum, the Cu/Cu₂S-MWCNTs combination can significantly boost PV solar cells' power conversion efficiency. Furthermore, UV research demonstrates that the plasmonic character of the material is altered fundamentally when CuS covers the Cu surface. Additionally, MWCN-Cu/Cu2S nanocomposite exhibits hybrid plasmonic phenomena. The bandgap of Cu/Cu₂S NWs was found to be approximately 1.3 eV. Regarding electron transfer and electromagnetic radiation absorption, the collective oscillations in plasmonic metal-p-type semiconductor-conductor MWCNT contacts can thus greatly increase energy conversion efficiency. The Cu/Cu₂S-MWCNTs nanocomposite is therefore a promising new material for PV solar cell application.

Keywords: MWCNTs; copper; copper (I) sulfide; hybrid nanomaterial; nanowire; sulfidation.

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the COST Program via the CA21148—Research and International Networking on Emerging Inorganic Chalcogenides for Photovoltaics project. This work also received funding from the FCT (Fundacão para a Ciência e Tecnologia, I.P.) under the project’s LA/P/0037/2020, UIDP/50025/2020, and UIDB/50025/2020 of the Associate Laboratory Institute of Nanostructures, Nano-modelling, and Nanofabrication i3N.