Improved size distribution of AgBiS2 colloidal nanocrystals by optimized synthetic route enhances photovoltaic performance

Jae Taek Oh, Hongjoo Cho, Sung Yong Bae, Sung Jun Lim, Jinhyeon Kang, In Hwan Jung, Hyosung Choi, Younghoon Kim

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

26 Scopus citations

Abstract

Ternary silver bismuth sulfide (AgBiS2) colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) have been recognized as a photovoltaic absorber for environmentally-friendly and low-temperature-processed thin film solar cells. However, previous synthetic methods involving hot injection of sulfur precursors into metal oleate precursor solutions do not provide a balance between nucleation and growth, leading to AgBiS2 NCs with broad size distributions. Here, we demonstrate the modified synthetic route that size distribution of AgBiS2 NCs can be improved by pre-adding the non-coordinating 1-octadecene (ODE) solvent into metal precursor solutions, leading to controlled concentration of coordinating oleic acid with improved hot-injection synthetic conditions. The addition of ODE as a non-coordinating solvent to metal precursor/oleic acid solution significantly suppresses variations in the concentration of coordinating oleic acid after injection of the sulfur precursor solution, leading to a homogenous reaction between the metal and sulfur precursors. For photovoltaic devices fabricated using the resultant AgBiS2 NCs, the champion device shows power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.94% with an open-circuit voltage (VOC) of 0.52 V. This performance is better than that a control device (PCE of 5.50% and VOC of 0.49 V) because of the reduced energetic disorder and band tail broadening originating from the uniformly-sized AgBiS2 NCs.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)11006-11014
Number of pages9
JournalInternational Journal of Energy Research
Volume44
Issue number13
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 25 2020
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • colloidal nanocrystal
  • environmentally-friendly
  • photovoltaic device
  • silver bismuth sulfide
  • size distribution

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