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Updated: Aug 19, 2025

Harvesting Solar Energy by Means of Charge-Separating Nanocrystals and Their Solids
Published on: August 23, 2012
p-n hybrid bulk heterojunction enables enhanced photothermoelectric performance with UV-Vis-NIR light
Xiaoqi Lan1,2, Youfa Liu2,3, Jingkun Xu1,2
1Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics, Jiangxi Science & Technology, Normal University, Nanchang, 330013, P.R. China. lcc.0705@163.com.
Abstract:
Infrared light accounts for the vast majority of natural light energy, however, the challenge of converting infrared light directly into electricity is too difficult. The photothermoelectric (PTE) effect (connecting the photothermal (PT) and thermoelectric (TE) effects) provides a feasible solution for the indirect conversion of infrared light into electrical energy. Therefore, it is of great significance to actively seek and explore materials with good PT and TE performance to fully harvest infrared light energy. Here, we prepared an organic-inorganic hybrid bulk heterojunction film by combining poly(3,4-ethylene-dioxythiophene):polystyrenesulphonate (PEDOT:PSS) and ZnO nanowires (ZnO-NWs). This common composite strategy is able to utilize the ultra-wide spectrum ranging from ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) to near-infrared (NIR) light to realize light-to-electricity conversion based on the PTE effect. ZnO-NWs can not only increase the Seebeck coefficient of PEDOT:PSS, but also enhance the absorption of the hybrid film under the NIR light. Thereby, the enhancement of the photothermal-induced voltage was achieved due to the separation of generated electron-hole pairs in the built-in electric field induced by a photothermal gradient. This study provides a new suggestion for improving the PTE performance of the material and making better use of solar energy.
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