Size-dependent quantum dot modification for solar light photocatalysis

Project funded by Swedish Research Council (Project grant), grant 2018-06868_VR. Participating organisations named by the source: Stockholm University. Funded amount: SEK 400,000, as stated by the source. Runs 2019-01-01 to 2019-12-31. Keywords: Naturvetenskap, Natural Sciences, Kemi, Chemical Sciences, Materialkemi, Materials Chemistry. Source: OpenAIRE Graph, from the funder's project data (collected by OpenAIRE on 2025-12-05); national funding data, not CORDIS. Abstract given by the source: Photocatalysis utilizes stable semiconductors and photon energy (ideally solar energy) to drive redox reactions, which has its potential application in renewable energy and environmental treatment. However, this technique has been largely limited by low photon efficiency and visible-light absorption (for utilization of solar energy) of current photocatalysts. II-VI compound or IV-VI compound (e.g., metal chalcogenide CdS, CdSe, or PbS) quantum dots (QDs) can act as an antenna for visible light absorption, when they couple with broad band semiconductors. In addition, the different energy levels of coupling semiconductors make the efficient separation of photo-generated electrons and holes, increasing the photon efficiency. Interestingly, the promoting effect of QDs on photocatalysis largely depends on their size, which determines the transfer of photo-generated carriers and the light absorption of the photocatalytic system. This research aims to couple different II-VI quantum dots with ZnO, in order to improve the photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation. We pay special attention to the size dependence of QDs on the promoting effect of photocatalysis. We synthesize different sizes of quantum dots. The size and its distribution of QDs will be observed with High-Voltage Electron Microscope at KBSI (Korea). This research will guide the size control and selection of quantum dots in the fields of photocatalysis, photovoltaics, solar cell, LED and photo-luminance.

Original source.

Source: OpenAIRE Graph: projects of national funders, OpenAIRE, from the project data of Swedish Research Council. Retrieved 2026-10-28. Licence: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (OpenAIRE Graph). Selected metadata, adapted presentation; the publisher's record is authoritative. No endorsement by the source is implied. Licence: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).

AI-assisted summary: The project "Size-dependent quantum dot modification for solar light photocatalysis" is funded by the Swedish Research Council with a grant of SEK 400,000, running from January 1 to December 31, 2019, involving Stockholm University. Suggested technology pillar: enabling. Generated by AI from the public source text; it may contain errors and the original source is authoritative.