Photovoltaic conversion of solar energy into electricity is an alternative way to use renewable energy for sustainable energy production. The great demand of low-cost and efficient solar cells inspires research on solution-processable light-harvesting materials. Antimony trisulfide (Sb₂S₃) is a promising light-harvester for photovoltaic purposes. Here we report on the in situ grown monolayer of preferentially oriented, large Sb₂S₃ single-crystalline cuboids on a polycrystalline titania (TiO₂) nanoparticle film. A facile, oriented seed-assisted solution-processing method is used, providing the Sb₂S₃/TiO₂-based bulk/nano-planar heterojunction with a preferred structure for efficient planar solar cells. An orientation-competing-epitaxial nucleation/growth mechanism is proposed for understanding the growth of the Sb₂S₃ single-crystalline cuboids. With an organic hole transporting material, the stable solar cell of the heterojunction yields a power conversion efficiency of 5.15% (certified as 5.12%). It is found that the [221]-oriented Sb₂S₃ cuboids provide highly effective charge transport channels inside the Sb₂S₃ layer.

将太阳能光伏转换为电能是将可再生能源用于可持续能源生产的另一种方法。低成本高效太阳能电池的巨大需求激发了对可溶液处理的光收集材料的研究。三硫化锑（Sb ₂ S ₃）是用于光伏用途的有前途的光收集器。在这里，我们报告在多晶二氧化钛（TiO ₂）纳米颗粒薄膜上原位生长的优先取向的大Sb ₂ S ₃单晶长方体单层。使用一种方便的，定向的种子辅助溶液处理方法，可提供Sb ₂ S ₃ / TiO ₂-基体/纳米平面异质结，具有用于有效平面太阳能电池的优选结构。为了理解Sb ₂ S ₃单晶长方体的生长，提出了竞争取向的外延成核/生长机理。使用有机空穴传输材料，异质结的稳定太阳能电池可产生5.15％的功率转换效率（认证为5.12％）。发现[221]取向的Sb ₂ S ₃长方体在Sb ₂ S ₃层内部提供了高效的电荷传输通道。