Modification and application of graphene quantum dots generated from CO2

二氧化碳排放过量导致的气候变化是一个重要的全球性问题。Carbon Upcle Technologies Inc.成立的愿景是将有关二氧化碳和其他温室气体排放的叙述从一个问题转变为一个解决方案。为此，该公司一直致力于开发创新的新技术，将废气转化为高价值的产品，然后探索各种应用。特别是，它最近开发了一种从二氧化碳合成石墨烯量子点的新工艺，为此迫切需要评估、探索和提高其在太阳能电池中的性能，因为石墨烯量子点被认为能够通过所谓的上转换和/或下转换效应来增强太阳能电池的光子吸收。它遇到的问题之一是如何以合适的方式定制石墨烯量子点，并高效地进行涉及量子点的太阳能电池器件的制造，从而获得尽可能高的性能提升。利用马云团队在太阳能电池和纳米材料方面的强大专业知识，该项目的主要目标是探索在有机太阳能电池中使用二氧化碳生成的石墨烯量子点，经过刻意的表面修饰，通过优化材料和器件制造来实现高功率转换效率的提高。同时，我们试图揭示石墨烯量子点结构、表面化学与器件性能之间的关系，为石墨烯量子点在太阳能电池和其他光电子学领域的应用提供指导。

Climate change due to excessive CO2 emissions represents an important global issue. Carbon UpcyclingTechnologies Inc. was founded with a vision of changing the narrative on CO2 and other greenhouse gasemissions from a problem to a solution. To this end, it has been dedicated to developing innovative newtechnologies to turn waste gases to high-value products, which are then explored for various applications. Inparticular, it has recently developed a new process to synthesize graphene quantum dots from CO2, for which ithas the urgent need to evaluate, explore and improve their performance in solar cells, because graphenequantum dots are believed to be able to enhance photon absorption of solar cells via the so-calledup-conversion and/or down-conversion effects. One of the problems it encounters is how to tailor thesegraphene quantum dots in an appropriate way and conduct quantum dot-involved solar cell device fabricationefficiently, so as to gain the highest possible performance enhancement. Capitalizing on the strong expertise ofMa's group on solar cells and nanomaterials, the main goals of this project are to explore the use ofCO2-generated graphene quantum dots, after deliberate surface modification, in organic solar cells to achieve ahigh enhancement of power conversion efficiency by optimizing materials and device fabrication. Meanwhile,we intend to unravel the relationship between graphene quantum dot structure, surface chemistry and deviceperformance, which can provide guides for further development of graphene quantum dot applications in solarcells and other optoelectronics.