High-Impact Chemistry From 2005

Number of citations: 3,708
Senior author: Peidong Yang
Institution: University of California, Berkeley
Description of work: Developed a dye-sensitized solar cell in which photoexcitation happens in arrays of coated, vertically-oriented nanowires instead of a nonoriented nanoparticle film. The nanowires provide a direct pathway for electron transport to the solar-cell electrode, boosting device performance.
Later impact of work: Yang and collaborators are now using the core of the technology to develop artificial photosynthesis systems to convert CO₂ and water to fuels.
Hindsight from Peidong Yang: “The concept of using nanowire arrays as photoelectrodes is being used now by many research groups to exploit solar energy conversion to produce environmentally friendly fuels.”
Citation:Nat. Mater., DOI: 10.1038/nmat1387

Number of citations: 3,698
Senior author: Yang Yang
Institution: University of California, Los Angeles
Description of work: Reported a low-cost polymer-based solar cell that could be processed in solution and that set an efficiency record for converting sunlight to electricity (4.4%).
Later impact of work: Yang’s group developed a transparent polymer solar cell in 2012, a key step toward making electricity-generating “smart windows.”
Hindsight from Yang Yang: “This work linked a conjugated polymer’s morphology to its photovoltaic properties, and led to further breakthroughs in polymer-solar-cell technology.”
Citation:Nat. Mater., DOI: 10.1038/nmat1500

Number of citations: 1,830
Senior authors: Mohammad K. Nazeeruddin and Michael Grätzel
Institution: ETH Lausanne
Description of work: Detailed the purification of three dyes commonly used in dye-sensitized solar cells and elaborated the relationship between the dye’s molecular structure and the electronic properties that govern the efficiency of these devices.
Later impact of work: At Expo Milano in 2015, a large-scale demonstration of Grätzel’s dye-sensitized solar cells occurred where the photovoltaics were integrated into the roof and windows of a pavilion to provide all the energy needed for air-conditioning and lighting (~42.6 kW).
Hindsight from Michael Grätzel: “The high number of citations this paper received was a pleasant surprise because it was theory-intensive. This work eventually led to two product lines, flexible solar cells for portable devices and building-integrated solar cells.”
Citation: J. Am. Chem. Soc., DOI: 10.1021/ja052467l