Towards solution processed all-carbon solar cells: a perspective

In this perspective, we describe a new type of photovoltaic all-carbon composites, in which single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and fullerenes are directly co-assembled and processed in water using graphene oxide (GO) as a surfactant. Solar cells made with C60/SWCNTs/reduced GO as the active layer and an additional evaporated C60 blocking layer yield a power conversion efficiency of 0.21%, which can be significantly increased to 0.85% by replacing C60 with the better absorber C70. These results suggest the possibility of making a new generation of solution processed all-carbon solar cells, in which all the functional layers are made of graphitic nanomaterials.