The poor stability of colloidal quantum dots (CQD) hinders their use in large-area solar cells. A stable printable CQD ink is demonstrated by using solution chemistry engineering to control the surface ions on CQDs to prevent inter-dot fusion. This ink produced a solar module with a power conversion efficiency of over 10%.
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References
Liu, M. et al. Hybrid organic–inorganic inks flatten the energy landscape in colloidal quantum dot solids. Nat. Mater. 16, 258–263 (2017). This study demonstrates a CQD ink-based solar cell with a certified PCE of 11.28%.
Liu, Y., Shi, G., Liu, Z. & Ma, W. Toward printable solar cells based on PbX colloidal quantum dot inks. Nanoscale Horiz. 6, 8–23 (2021). A review article that presents the development of spin-coated and printed solar cells based on PbS CQD inks.
Jean, J. et al. Synthesis cost dictates the commercial viability of lead sulfide and perovskite quantum dot photovoltaics. Energy Environ. Sci. 11, 2295–2305 (2018). An article that systematically analyses the synthesis costs for CQD inks and solar cells.
Wang, Y. et al. Room-temperature direct synthesis of semi-conductive PbS nanocrystal inks for optoelectronic applications. Nat. Commun. 10, 5136 (2019). This study introduces the direct synthesis method for preparing semi-conductive CQD inks, demonstrating their potential for cost-effective optoelectronic devices.
Shi, G. et al. The effect of water on colloidal quantum dot solar cells. Nat. Commun. 12, 4381 (2021). This article demonstrates that a meniscus-guided coating technique can avoid the defects induced by water-triggered CQD fusion that can impair device performance.
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This is a summary of: Shi, G. et al. Overcoming efficiency and cost barriers for large-area quantum dot photovoltaics through stable ink engineering. Nat. Energy https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01746-4 (2025).
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Ink stabilization technique for large-area printable quantum dot solar cells. Nat Energy 10, 547–548 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01747-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01747-3
