Issue 2, 2017

Lead-free pseudo-three-dimensional organic–inorganic iodobismuthates for photovoltaic applications

Abstract

Two organic–inorganic iodobismuthates, C5H6NBiI4 ([py][BiI4]) and C6H8NBiI4 ([mepy][BiI4]), have been prepared with their structures revealed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. One-dimensional BiI4 anionic chains built by edge-sharing BiI6 octahedra were found in both materials; short I⋯I, I⋯C contacts and hydrogen bonding give rise to three-dimensional intermolecular interactions. Both compounds are semiconductors, with band gaps of around 2.0 eV, and the contribution from the organic moieties to the conduction band minimum has been derived by density functional theory. Solid-state optical and electrochemical studies performed on powders and thin films were carried out, and their stabilities under an ambient environment have been demonstrated. Their use as the absorber layer in printable mesoscopic solar cells without any hole transport material has led to efficiencies up to 0.9%, showing a promising new approach towards the development of lead-free third-generation photovoltaic materials.

Graphical abstract: Lead-free pseudo-three-dimensional organic–inorganic iodobismuthates for photovoltaic applications

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
19 Nov 2016
Accepted
13 Jan 2017
First published
16 Jan 2017
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2017,1, 308-316

Lead-free pseudo-three-dimensional organic–inorganic iodobismuthates for photovoltaic applications

T. Li, Y. Hu, C. A. Morrison, W. Wu, H. Han and N. Robertson, Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2017, 1, 308 DOI: 10.1039/C6SE00061D

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements