CQD-based PV has lower cost per area and benefits from greater process flexibility compared with Si-based PV. However, some issues must still be overcome for

PV applications. They are especially sensitive to humidity, light, and Selleckchem Staurosporine oxygen [6, 7]. This sensitivity is the main cause of inferior charge transport, demanding a new strategy to solve these issues. Concurrent use of CQDs and organic compounds in devices has been one approach; these materials have typically been blended BAY 11-7082 in vivo together [8–10]. To date, though, the PCE of a bilayer-based PV device has been much lower than that of blend-based PV because of poor morphology at the bilayer interface. In one example of a bilayer check details approach, Spoerke et al. reported that bilayer-based PV made with CdS

CQDs and poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) had a PCE of 0.11% under simulated air mass (AM) 1.5 conditions [11]. Here, we introduce a planar heterojunction (PHJ) device architecture that has a ‘hybrid active bilayer,’ i.e., PbS CQD solid films layered with a blend of P3HT and [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). This architecture offers broad absorption and efficient charge transport. Also, our study of the hybrid active bilayer clearly indicates its suitability as a new material for third-generation multijunction devices. Moreover, we have established an important dual role for solid-state treatment with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) used for atomic ligand passivation of PbS CQDs in a PHJ device. CTAB treatment serves to passivate the Br atomic ligands as well as engineer the interface within the hybrid active bilayer, leading to improved PCE and stability. We focused on the behavior 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase of PbS CQDs to understand these phenomena. Methods Materials Lead chloride (PbCl2, 98%), elemental sulfur, zinc acetate (Zn(Ac)2 · 2H2O), oleylamine (OLA, technical grade 70%), oleic acid (OA, technical grade 90%), 2-methoxyethanol, CTAB (99%), chlorobenzene (reagent, 99%), and toluene (anhydrous, 99.8%) were obtained from Sigma-Aldrich Corporation (St. Louis, MO, USA). Ethanol and methanol

were purchased from Duksan Chemicals Co., Ltd. (Ansan-si, South Korea). P3HT and PCBM were purchased from Rieke Metals (Lincoln, NE, USA). All chemicals were used as received without further purification. Nanocrystal synthesis and device fabrication A slurry of excess PbCl2 in OLA (1:2 molar ratio) was prepared at 100°C under a flow of N2. The temperature was increased to 120°C for 30 min. At the same time, elemental sulfur was dissolved in OLA (0.1:0.2 molar ratio) at 80°C over 30 min. The sulfur-OLA solution was added to the PbCl2-OLA slurry, and the temperature was raised to the growth temperature of 100°C and held there for 30 min. The mixture was then removed and quenched by pouring into cold toluene.