Interfacial Engineering at Quantum Dot-Sensitized TiO Photoelectrodes for Ultrahigh Photocurrent Generation.

Metal oxide semiconductor/chalcogenide quantum dot (QD) heterostructured photoanodes show photocurrent densities >30 mA/cm with ZnO, approaching the theoretical limits in photovoltaic (PV) cells. However, comparative performance has not been achieved with TiO. Here, we applied a TiO(B) surface passivation layer (SPL) on TiO/QD (PbS and CdS) and achieved a photocurrent density of 34.

Bipolar Membranes to Promote Formation of Tight Ice-Like Water for Efficient and Sustainable Water Splitting.

Bipolar membranes (BPMs) have recently received much attention for their potential to improve the water dissociation reaction (WDR) at their junction by utilizing catalysts. Herein, composite catalysts (Fe O @GO) comprising hematite nanoparticles (α-Fe O ) grown on 2D graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets are reported, which show unprecedentedly high water dissociation performance in the BPM. Furthermore, new catalytic roles in facilitating WDR at the catalyst-water interface are mechanistically elucidated.

An artificial solid interphase with polymers of intrinsic microporosity for highly stable Li metal anodes.

Polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIM-1) have an appropriate pore size to reduce the solvation number of Li ions in electrolytes. This unique pore structure of PIM-1 as a solid interphase can suppress transport of solvent and consequently unwanted chemical reactions at the interface of anodes, thereby extending the cycle life of Li metal anodes.

Imidazolium Iodide-Doped PEDOT Nanofibers as Conductive Catalysts for Highly Efficient Solid-State Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Employing Polymer Electrolyte.

The electrical conductivity and catalytic activity of nanofibrous poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)s (PEDOT NFs) was improved by redoping with dimethyl imidazolium iodide (DMII) as a charge transfer facilitator. Addition of the new DMII dopant into the PEDOT NFs reduced the concentration of dodecyl sulfate anions (DS) predoped during the polymerization process and concomitantly enhanced the doping concentration of I by ion exchange. Redoping with DMII increased the mobility of the PEDOT NFs by up to 18-fold and improved the conductivity due to the enhanced linearization, suppressed aggregation, and improved crystallinity of the PEDOT chains.

Triumphing over Charge Transfer Limitations of PEDOT Nanofiber Reduction Catalyst by 1,2-Ethanedithiol Doping for Quantum Dot Solar Cells.

Charge transfer between a conducting polymer-based counter electrode (CE) and a polysulfide (S/S) electrolyte mediator is a key limitation to improvements of solar energy conversion efficiency (ECE) in quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSCs). In this paper, 1,2-ethanedithiol (EDT) was doped into nanofibrous poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT NF) to overcome the charge transfer limitation between PEDOT NF and S/S. EDT not only helps to reduce the aggregation and thus enhance the linearization of the PEDOT chains but also changes the molecular conformation of the PEDOT chains from a benzoid to a quinoid structure.