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Researchers in Western Australia have discovered a method to increase the number of molecules that adhere to the surface of tiny semiconductor nanocrystals. They claim this breakthrough could significantly enhance the efficiency and performance of solar panels.
Researchers at Curtin University in Western Australia have found that adjusting the shape of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals allows them to control how these nanocrystals interact with their environment. This modification enhances their efficiency in various applications, including solar cells.
Associate Professor Guohua Jia from Curtin University’s School of Molecular and Life Sciences led the study, which examined how the shape of zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanocrystals influenced the ability of molecules, known as ligands, to adhere to their surface.
Jia said ligands play an important role in controlling the behaviour and performance of ZnS nanocrystals in optoelectronic devices – devices that either produce light or use light to perform their functions, including solar cells.
“By adjusting the shape of these particles, we were able to control how they interacted with their surroundings and make them more efficient in various applications,” he said.
The researchers found that flatter, more even particles called nanoplatelets allow more ligands to attach tightly, compared to other shapes like nanodots and nanorods which may have staggered arrangements.
Jia said the discovery provides an important knob for tuning the chemical functionality of ZnS nanocrystals and could enhance the performance of optoelectronic devices.
“The ability to control particle shapes could revolutionise product efficiency and performance,” he said. “The ability to efficiently manipulate light and electricity is central to the advancement of faster, more efficient and more compact electronic systems. This includes LEDs, which convert electricity into light … as well as solar cells that convert light into electrical energy, powering devices using sunlight.”
Other devices that could be advanced by this finding include photodetectors that sense light and convert it into an electrical signal, such as in cameras and sensors, plus laser diodes used in fiber-optic communication that convert electrical signals into light for data transmission.
The full study, “Deciphering surface ligand density of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals: Shape matters,” will be published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. |
