Solar energy is a growing source of sustainable energy. However, some of the main components of solar cells are made up of inorganic, toxic, and expensive materials.[1, 2] In this study, carbon quantum dots (CQDs) were used as the photo-absorber in solar cells. CQDs are made from common organic carbon sources such as glucose, citric acid, and ethanediamine, and act as the semiconductor in a solar cell.[3, 4] The downside of CQDs in solar cells is their low efficiencies (<1%), whereas most modern solar cells produce efficiencies of around 20%. This study used the in-situ growth of CQDs onto the electron transport layer (ETL) of a solid state solar cell through hydrothermal carbonization. By testing cells with varying ETLs, it was found that decreasing the ETL thickness increased efficiency.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Rockcress, Alexander Deacon
• Gagne, Lucas Paul
• Korn, Xandria

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-042419-092138

Advisor

• Timko, Michael T.
• Rao, Pratap M.

Year

• 2019

Date created

• 2019-04-24

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Chemical Engineering

Rights statement

• In Copyright