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Lead Sulfide Nanocubes for Solar Energy Storage
Author(s) -
Lemsi Amira,
Cardenas-Morcoso Drialys,
Haro Marta,
Gil-Barrachina Carlos,
Aranda Clara,
Maghraoui-Meherzi Hager,
García-Tecedor Miguel,
Giménez Sixto,
Julián-López Beatriz
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
energy technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.91
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 2194-4296
pISSN - 2194-4288
DOI - 10.1002/ente.202000301
Subject(s) - lead sulfide , materials science , nanoparticle , nanotechnology , energy storage , solar energy , nanocrystal , ethylenediamine , sulfide , chemical engineering , chemistry , inorganic chemistry , ecology , power (physics) , physics , quantum mechanics , quantum dot , engineering , metallurgy , biology
Lead sulfide (PbS) nanocubes are produced by a very simple solvothermal procedure that uses a unique molecule, ethylenediamine, as solvent and capping ligand to control the size and shape of the nanocrystals. Detailed structural, optical, and photoelectrochemical evaluation confirms the suitability of these nanoparticles for photocapacitive applications, when synergistically combined with spin‐coated BiVO 4 photoelectrodes, as derived from the estimated energy diagram. Furthermore, the p–n junction facilitates the photo‐oxidation of PbS nanoparticles under light irradiation. In the dark, the photogenerated charges are released providing an electric output response with a solar‐to‐current efficiency of 0.042%, storing extra energy to the H 2 produced by water splitting when the BiVO 4 photoanode works under illumination. Herein, the importance of the synthetic route and methodology to ensemble materials for advanced solar energy storage applications is highlighted.