Synthesis and Characterization of Fullerene-Functionalized Metal Chalcogenide Nanosheets

Bulk heterojunction solar cells composed of fullerene electron acceptors and polymer electron donors are the current leaders in the area of flexible and transparent solar cells. The solubility of these components enables low-cost production of thin, transparent films but render low efficiency. Metal chalcogenide nanosheets, such as CdS, CdSe, and ZnS, represent potential solutions to the problem. Although these materials are difficult to process because of their low solubility, it is hypothesized that chemically bonding fullerenes to CdX (X= S, Se, or Te) nanosheets will improve nanosheet stability and solubility while maintaining flexibility and transparency, allowing them to be used as a new electron transport material to make efficient, flexible, and transparent solar cells. The synthesis and preliminary characterization of N-boc protected nanosheets as precursors to fullerene-functionalized nanosheets is presented here