Facile Design of Low-Dimensional, Hybrid Transparent Conductors Achieving Efficient, Scalable All-Solution-Processed...

Antimony sulfide (Sb₂S₃), an emerging photovoltaic material, is desirable for efficient, cost-effective solar cells, attributed to its capability to achieve highly crystallized Sb₂S₃ films by nonvacuum techniques, favoring the design of all-solution-processed photovoltaics. A high-performance Sb₂S₃ solar cell often constitutes hydrophobic hole-transporting layers, creating a surface energy mismatch with hydrophilic solution-processed, effective transparent conductors (TCs) like silver nanowires (AgNWs). Therefore, the realization of an efficient, all-solution-processed Sb₂S₃ solar cell remains challenging. Herein, a completely solution-processed Sb₂S₃ solar cell is achieved by designing an effective AgNW-based TC by intermixing an AgNW solution with 27 vol % poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT). An interaction between isopropyl alcohol, a polar solvent in the AgNW solution, and P3HT results in the aggregation of the polymer, enhancing adhesion between the AgNWs and the glass/FTO/TiO₂/Sb₂S₃/P3HT surface. This technique enables a reduction in the sheet resistance of AgNW-based TCs by 88%. The Sb₂S₃-based solar cells with modified AgNW-based TCs provide an efficiency of 2.1% and a consistent open-circuit value of 0.7 V for up-scaled devices. The adaptation of TCs allows the device to work in bifacial mode with a see-through feature, evidenced by an average visible light transmittance of 11.7%. The developed all-solution-processed Sb₂S₃-based semitransparent photovoltaics would be advantageous for photovoltaic-integrated product applications.