Themed collection Global Energy Challenges: Solar Energy

Organic memories fabricated on surface-engineered indium tin oxide show the highest ternary yield (82%) to date and better performance.

Cosensitization of two dyes with different molecular sizes and photovoltaic characteristics is demonstrated to successfully prevent the “trade-off” effect, leading to an excellent power-conversion efficiency of 10.09% under one-sun and 11.12% under 0.3 sun 4 irradiation.

Donor–acceptor–acceptor (D–A–A) type 1,8-naphthalimide based small molecules SM1 and SM2 functionalized with tetracyanobutadiene (TCBD) and dicyanoquino-dimethane (DCNQ) modules, showing strong absorption in the visible and near-infrared (NIR) region are reported.

We analyze standard theoretical models of solar energy conversion developed to study solar cells and photosynthetic systems.

Highly-oriented Fe₂O₃ nanoarrays with a gradient phosphorus concentration result in enhanced charge separation in the bulk for photoelectrochemical water oxidation.

A stable α/δ phase junction of formamidinium lead iodide perovskites was realized via controllable precursors at a low annealing temperature for enhanced near-infrared emission.

A fluorinated indolo[3,2-b]indole (IDID) derivative is prepared as a crystalline hole transporting material for perovskite solar cells. A fluorinated IDID backbone enables a tight molecular stacking by π–π interaction. The device fabricated using IDIDF exhibits a PCE of 19%.

Photodriven charge transfer dynamics are described for an atomic layer deposition-stabilized, organic dye-sensitized photocathode architecture that produces hydrogen.

Regioisomer separations of [70]fullerene mono-adducts for polymer solar cell (PSC) applications were conducted for the first time.

Barium-modified Ta₃N₅ for the promotion of proton reduction is first employed as a H₂-evolving photocatalyst for visible-light-driven Z-scheme overall water splitting.

A novel synthetic method is used to prepare metalloporphyrin-modified gallium phosphide photocathodes for solar-driven hydrogen evolution from water.

A strategy to improve reaction activity via the photothermal effect of plasmonic semiconductor nanomaterials is demonstrated in a core–shell structured catalyst.

Effects of fluorine substitution of small molecular semiconductor on charge transport and photovoltaic properties are systematically studied.

The first example of tantalum nitride electrodes on transparent conductive oxide substrates, which enables solar water splitting, is presented.

Synthetically flexible, rigid, tetrad molecules are shown to closely mimic structural and photochemical properties of the bacterial photosynthetic reaction centre.

A new polymer acceptor based on the BNBP unit with an optimal LUMO energy level has been developed. The resulting all-polymer solar cells show high PCEs, remarkably high V_oc values and small photon energy losses.

A PCE of 7.33% was achieved in a PSC based on a new copolymer, PDTPO-IDT, with bandgaps of up to 2.05 eV.

The key to phase junctions for efficient charge separation is to consider both the phase alignment and interface structure.

Donor–π-bridge–donor type oligomers (D–π–D) have been studied intensively as active materials for organic optoelectronic devices.

“Roller-wheel” shaped Pt-containing molecules display enhanced crystallinity and are better performing organic solar cell materials than conventional small molecules and polymers featuring “dumbbell” shaped structures.

The performance of planar perovskite solar cells was enhanced by using hole transporting materials containing triphenylamine groups with a multi-armed structure.

Layer-by-layer assembly of a Ru dye and Ni catalyst on a p-type NiO photocathode enables photoelectrochemical H₂ generation in water.

By introducing the heteroatom into the benchmark hole transport material Spiro-MeOTAD, the energy level of hole transport materials can be tuned.

The chemistry behind the I⁻/I₃⁻ redox couple is thoroughly investigated in 100% aqueous dye-sensitized solar cells, paving the way to this emerging green PV technology.

Can new hybrid perovskites be predicted using the tolerance factor?

Charge transfer has been demonstrated to have a fundamental role in particulate Ta₃N₅ electrode for achieving high efficient photoelectrochemical water oxidation.

Three A–D–A porphyrin-based small molecules are employed as donors in bulky heterojunction organic solar cells. Striking a delicate balance between solubility, morphology and device fabrication, leads to PCEs of up to 7.7%.

Tetracene derivatives enhance near-infrared photon upconversion by maximizing energy transfer from PbS and PbSe nanocrystal light absorbers.

Splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen with 3d transition metal molecular catalysts and light has been accomplished.

Efficient harvesting of solar energy, without interference from electron transfer, is reported for a series of bichromophoric light-harvesting antenna molecules.

Dye regeneration kinetics is enhanced by five times in a di-chromophoric porphyrin dye by attaching tridimensionally enlarged electron donor moieties.

A series of perylenediimide (PDI) dimers are evaluated as acceptors for organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells.

Probing the surface kinetics of different hematite electrodes with and without surface passivations.

Two Ag-based metal organic complexes (HA1 and HA2) are employed as a new class of dopant-free HTMs for the application in PSCs. The cell based on HA1 achieved high PCE of 11.98% under air conditions, which is comparable to the PCE of the cell employing the doped spiro-MeOTAD (12.27%) under the same conditions.

Tertiary amines covalently tethered to electron-deficient aromatic molecules by alkyl spacers enable solid-state n-doping.

An effective wet-chemistry approach is demonstrated to minimize the trap states that limit electron transport in rutile TiO2 nanowire arrays, this leads to an over 20-fold enhancement in the electron diffusion coefficient.

The combination of porphyrin as a sensitizer and a ruthenium complex as a water oxidation catalyst (WOC) is promising to exploit highly efficient molecular artificial photosynthetic systems.

The design and synthesis of fine Pt@TiO₂@MnO_x hollow spheres is described. Pt and MnO_x are spatially separated by TiO₂ shells. The catalyst exhibits high efficiency of charge-separation and surface-reaction.

Both single and multiple exciton lifetimes are significantly extended in quasi-type II CuInS₂/CdS core/shell QDs.

Ruthenium(II) polypyridyl-doped metal–organic framework sensitized films on TiO₂ for photovoltaics reveal that the preparative method of dye doping/incorporation into the MOF is integral to the total solar cell efficiency.

A dual-emitter upconvertor is applied to thin-film solar cells for the first time, generating record figures of merit.

Lowering the LUMOs and decreasing energy “waste” is targeted through inserting an auxiliary group from an electron donor or acceptor into D–π–A organic sensitizers, and the photovoltaic efficiency increases 38 fold from 0.24 to 9.46%.

A new solar-microbial hybrid device based on oxygen-deficient Nb₂O₅ anodes for sustainable hydrogen generation without external bias was demonstrated.

Improved sensitizer design dramatically enhances visible light-driven water oxidation from dye-sensitized TiO₂ photoanodes treated with polyoxometalate water oxidation catalyst [{Ru₄O₄(OH)₂(H₂O)₄}(γ-SiW₁₀O₃₆)₂]¹⁰⁻.

There is more to chemical bonding in chalcogenides than the shortest, strongest bonds, as revealed by microscopic quantum-chemical descriptors.

We report the properties of a new series of wide band gap photovoltaic polymers based on the N-alkyl 2-pyridone dithiophene (PDT) unit.

Intrinsic doping of hematite through the inclusion of oxygen vacancies (V_O) is being increasingly explored as a simple, low temperature route to preparing active water splitting α-Fe₂O_3−x photoelectrodes.

The first zeolitic material templated by MV²⁺ cations exhibits dual photo-/thermochromism with ultralong-lived charge separation and high thermal stability, as well as tuneable photovoltaic activity.

We present new two-photon molecular architectures for photovoltaics where atomic precision can be obtained by synthetic chemistry.

Large in-plane exciton mobility in CdSe nanosheets leads to ultrafast exciton quenching by energy transfer to Pt.

A reversible photo-induced instability has been found in mixed-halide photovoltaic perovskites that limits the open circuit voltage in solar cells.

Self-ordering of covalent electron donor–acceptor building blocks in thin films upon solvent vapor annealing results in a 10⁴ increase in photo-generated charge carrier lifetime.