Sandwiched confinement of quantum dots in graphene matrix for efficient electron transfer and photocurrent production

Nan Zhu; Kaibo Zheng; Khadga J. Karki; Mohamed Abdellah; Qiushi Zhu; Stefan Carlson; Dörthe Haase; Karel Žídek; Jens Ulstrup; Sophie E. Canton; Tonu Pullerits; Qijin Chi

doi:10.1038/srep09860

Sandwiched confinement of quantum dots in graphene matrix for efficient electron transfer and photocurrent production

Nan Zhu, Kaibo Zheng, Khadga J. Karki, Mohamed Abdellah, Qiushi Zhu, Stefan Carlson, Dörthe Haase, Karel Žídek, Jens Ulstrup, Sophie E. Canton, Tonu Pullerits, Qijin Chi

Department of Chemistry

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Abstract

Quantum dots (QDs) and graphene are both promising materials for the development of new-generation optoelectronic devices. Towards this end, synergic assembly of these two building blocks is a key step but remains a challenge. Here, we show a one-step strategy for organizing QDs in a graphene matrix via interfacial self-assembly, leading to the formation of sandwiched hybrid QD-graphene nanofilms. We have explored structural features, electron transfer kinetics and photocurrent generation capacity of such hybrid nanofilms using a wide variety of advanced techniques. Graphene nanosheets interlink QDs and significantly improve electronic coupling, resulting in fast electron transfer from photoexcited QDs to graphene with a rate constant of 1.3 × 10⁹ s⁻¹. Efficient electron transfer dramatically enhances photocurrent generation in a liquid-junction QD-sensitized solar cell where the hybrid nanofilm acts as a photoanode. We thereby demonstrate a cost-effective method to construct large-area QD-graphene hybrid nanofilms with straightforward scale-up potential for optoelectronic applications.

Original language	English
Article number	9860
Journal	Scientific Reports
Volume	5
Number of pages	14
ISSN	2045-2322
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/srep09860
Publication status	Published - 2015

Bibliographical note

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Keywords

Chemical physics
Electron transfer

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title = "Sandwiched confinement of quantum dots in graphene matrix for efficient electron transfer and photocurrent production",

abstract = "Quantum dots (QDs) and graphene are both promising materials for the development of new-generation optoelectronic devices. Towards this end, synergic assembly of these two building blocks is a key step but remains a challenge. Here, we show a one-step strategy for organizing QDs in a graphene matrix via interfacial self-assembly, leading to the formation of sandwiched hybrid QD-graphene nanofilms. We have explored structural features, electron transfer kinetics and photocurrent generation capacity of such hybrid nanofilms using a wide variety of advanced techniques. Graphene nanosheets interlink QDs and significantly improve electronic coupling, resulting in fast electron transfer from photoexcited QDs to graphene with a rate constant of 1.3 × 109 s−1. Efficient electron transfer dramatically enhances photocurrent generation in a liquid-junction QD-sensitized solar cell where the hybrid nanofilm acts as a photoanode. We thereby demonstrate a cost-effective method to construct large-area QD-graphene hybrid nanofilms with straightforward scale-up potential for optoelectronic applications.",

keywords = "Chemical physics, Electron transfer",

author = "Nan Zhu and Kaibo Zheng and {J. Karki}, Khadga and Mohamed Abdellah and Qiushi Zhu and Stefan Carlson and D{\"o}rthe Haase and Karel {\v Z}{\'i}dek and Jens Ulstrup and Canton, {Sophie E.} and Tonu Pullerits and Qijin Chi",

note = "This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article{\textquoteright}s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",

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doi = "10.1038/srep09860",

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AU - Zhu, Nan

AU - Zheng, Kaibo

AU - J. Karki, Khadga

AU - Abdellah, Mohamed

AU - Zhu, Qiushi

AU - Carlson, Stefan

AU - Haase, Dörthe

AU - Žídek, Karel

AU - Ulstrup, Jens

AU - Canton, Sophie E.

AU - Pullerits, Tonu

AU - Chi, Qijin

N1 - This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - Quantum dots (QDs) and graphene are both promising materials for the development of new-generation optoelectronic devices. Towards this end, synergic assembly of these two building blocks is a key step but remains a challenge. Here, we show a one-step strategy for organizing QDs in a graphene matrix via interfacial self-assembly, leading to the formation of sandwiched hybrid QD-graphene nanofilms. We have explored structural features, electron transfer kinetics and photocurrent generation capacity of such hybrid nanofilms using a wide variety of advanced techniques. Graphene nanosheets interlink QDs and significantly improve electronic coupling, resulting in fast electron transfer from photoexcited QDs to graphene with a rate constant of 1.3 × 109 s−1. Efficient electron transfer dramatically enhances photocurrent generation in a liquid-junction QD-sensitized solar cell where the hybrid nanofilm acts as a photoanode. We thereby demonstrate a cost-effective method to construct large-area QD-graphene hybrid nanofilms with straightforward scale-up potential for optoelectronic applications.

AB - Quantum dots (QDs) and graphene are both promising materials for the development of new-generation optoelectronic devices. Towards this end, synergic assembly of these two building blocks is a key step but remains a challenge. Here, we show a one-step strategy for organizing QDs in a graphene matrix via interfacial self-assembly, leading to the formation of sandwiched hybrid QD-graphene nanofilms. We have explored structural features, electron transfer kinetics and photocurrent generation capacity of such hybrid nanofilms using a wide variety of advanced techniques. Graphene nanosheets interlink QDs and significantly improve electronic coupling, resulting in fast electron transfer from photoexcited QDs to graphene with a rate constant of 1.3 × 109 s−1. Efficient electron transfer dramatically enhances photocurrent generation in a liquid-junction QD-sensitized solar cell where the hybrid nanofilm acts as a photoanode. We thereby demonstrate a cost-effective method to construct large-area QD-graphene hybrid nanofilms with straightforward scale-up potential for optoelectronic applications.

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KW - Electron transfer

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VL - 5

JO - Scientific Reports

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ER -

Sandwiched confinement of quantum dots in graphene matrix for efficient electron transfer and photocurrent production

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