Biomass-based carbon quantum dots for polycrystalline silicon solar cells with enhanced photovoltaic performance

• Main Authors: Wang, Xiaohui, Xu, Li, Ge, Shengbo, Foong, Shin Ying, Liew, Rock Keey, Chong, William Woei Fong, Verma, Meenakshi, Naushad, Mu, Park, Young-Kwon, Lam, Su Shiung, Li, Qian, Huang, Runzhou
• Format: Article
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 2023
• Subjects: TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery
• Online Access: http://eprints.utm.my/106737/; http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2023.127354

Polycrystalline silicon solar cells modified using biomass resources are promising candidates to accomplish the goal of carbon neutrality. Developing a device with high power conversion efficiency (PCE) is important to resolve the ever-increasing energy shortage issues. Therefore, we develop a facile solution-casting approach to synthesise ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) films modified with ultra-high fluorescent carbon quantum dots (CQDs). The films were coated on the surface of polycrystalline silicon solar cells and the PCE increased from 13.19% to 13.65%. The ultra-high fluorescent CQDs were prepared from Ginkgo biloba via a hydrothermal process, and different parts of Ginkgo biloba-based CQDs were investigated in various conditions. The ultra-high fluorescent CQDs obtained at 180 °C, 8 h and a reaction concentration of 0.048 g/mL from Ginkgo wood resulted in high fluorescence of up to 976.74 a.u. At an excitation wavelength of 365 nm. This work substantially expands the potential of EVA films containing ultra-high fluorescent CQDs for applications in the photovoltaic, environment and energy fields.