Low-Cost RoHS Compliant Solution Processed Photovoltaics Enabled by Ambient Condition Synthesis of AgBiS2 Nanocrystals

M Zafer Akgul; Alberto Figueroba; Santanu Pradhan; Yu Bi; Gerasimos Konstantatos

doi:10.1021/acsphotonics.9b01757

Low-Cost RoHS Compliant Solution Processed Photovoltaics Enabled by Ambient Condition Synthesis of AgBiS₂ Nanocrystals

ACS Photonics. 2020 Mar 18;7(3):588-595. doi: 10.1021/acsphotonics.9b01757. Epub 2020 Mar 4.

Authors

M Zafer Akgul¹, Alberto Figueroba¹, Santanu Pradhan¹, Yu Bi¹, Gerasimos Konstantatos^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ ICFO-Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08860 Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain.
² ICREA-Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Passeig Lluís Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain.

Abstract

Two major challenges exist before colloidal nanocrystal solar cells can take their place in the market: So far, these devices are based on Pb/Cd-containing nanocrystals, and second, the synthesis of these nanocrystals takes place in an inert atmosphere at elevated temperatures due to the use of air-sensitive chemicals. In this report, a room-temperature, ambient-air synthesis for nontoxic AgBiS₂ nanocrystals is presented. As this method utilizes stable precursors, the need for the use of a protective environment is eliminated, enabling the large-scale production of AgBiS₂ nanocrystals. The production cost of AgBiS₂ NCs at room temperature and under ambient conditions reduces by ∼60% compared to prior reports based on hot injection, and the solar cells made of these nanocrystals yield a promising power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.5%, the highest reported to date for a colloidal nanocrystal material free of Pb or Cd synthesized at room temperature and under ambient conditions.