Significantly improved photo- and electro-chemical performance of CuS center dot PbS nanocomposites for dye degradation and paintable counter electrodes
- Authors
- Muhyuddin, Mohsin; Khan, Talha Farooq; Akram, Muhammad Aftab; Ali, Ijaz; Park, Tae Joo; Basit, Muhammad Abdul
- Issue Date
- Sep-2020
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Keywords
- CuS center dot PbS; Nanocomposite; QDSC; Band-engineered; Catalysis; Counter electrode
- Citation
- Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry, v.400, pp.1 - 9
- Indexed
- SCIE
SCOPUS
- Journal Title
- Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry
- Volume
- 400
- Start Page
- 1
- End Page
- 9
- URI
- https://scholarworks.bwise.kr/erica/handle/2021.sw.erica/898
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.jphotochem.2020.112720
- ISSN
- 1010-6030
- Abstract
- CuS nanoparticles (CuS NPs) are used in a variety of optical, photo-chemical, and photo-electrochemical applications. An unsophisticated but efficient strategy is reported here to enhance the performance of CuS by transforming it into CuS center dot PbS nanocomposites (NCs). A modified successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction method was employed to combine CuS NPs with PbS quantum-dots in a qualitatively-controlled way. Resultant CuS center dot PbS NCs were first qualitatively investigated using scanning electron microscopy coupled with an energy-dispersive spectroscope and an X-ray diffractometer. Owing to the improved optical behavior revealed by UV-vis spectroscopy, CuS center dot PbS NCs were employed first for photo-catalysis and then for electro-catalysis, where optimal CuS center dot PbS NCs (specifically, CuS center dot 2PbS) ensued an similar to 80 % degradation of the toxic Congo red dye. Moreover, the efficacy of the controlled deposition of PbS on CuS NPs was electrochemically investigated and a significant improvement in the imperative parameters, such as the charge transfer resistance at the electrode/electrolyte interface and electron lifetime, was obtained. CuS center dot 2PbS NCs also exhibited air-processable and heat-treatable characteristics which demarcated its suitability for paintable counter electrodes (as) in quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSCs).
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Collections - COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING SCIENCES > DEPARTMENT OF MATERIALS SCIENCE AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING > 1. Journal Articles
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