Alkali Metal Ions: A Secret Ingredient for Metal Nanocluster-Sensitized Solar Cells

Abstract

The presence of alkali metal ions (AMIs) during the adsorption of thiolated Au nanoclusters (NCs) onto TiO2 plays a critical role in achieving high power conversion efficiency and suppressing anomalous current-voltage hysteresis in metal nanocluster-sensitized solar cells. This hidden role of the AMIs is intimately related to the adsorption strength between the NCs and TiO2, indicating the importance of seeking a comprehensive understanding of NC-TiO2 interfaces and devising interfacial engineering techniques to support the next advance in light energy conversion applications of NCs.