Turkish Journal of Chemistry
Abstract
This study presents a quantum‑engineered, tricomponent heterostructure comprising Ti3C2T MXene quantum dots (2–5 nm), single‑layer graphene, and plasmonic gold nanoparticles (15 ± 3 nm) uniformly embedded within electrospun polyacrylonitrile nanofibers. This integrated architecture demonstrates a remarkable combination of optical transparency (89.3 ± 1.1%) and power conversion efficiency (19.7 ± 0.4%) under AM0 solar illumination, representing 340% enhancement over state‑of‑the‑art transparent photovoltaic devices. A multiscale computational framework, bridging density functional theory and device‑level drift-diffusion modeling, identifies optimal interlayer spacing (3.4 ± 0.1 Å) as the key to achieving 89.3% charge‑transfer efficiency. Concurrently, localized surface plasmon resonances at 532 nm generate electromagnetic field enhancements of up to 1.85 × 103, substantially boosting photocarrier generation. The composite retains more than 92% of its initial performance after 5000 h of simulated cosmic radiation exposure, attributed to intrinsic self‑healing mechanisms predicted at the atomic scale. Mechanical characterization confirms high flexibility, with a bend radius of 1.8 mm and specific power density of 2847 ± 120 W/kg, supporting multifunctional integration in space‑borne systems. These results provide a cohesive design paradigm for transparent, flexible, and radiation‑resistant photovoltaics, with significant implications for extended‑duration missions, habitat infrastructure, and deployable energy systems in extreme extraterrestrial environments.
Author ORCID Identifier
ARASH VAGHEF-KOODEHI: 0009-0008-0200-3615
DOI
10.55730/1300-0527.3795
Keywords
T3C2Tx MXene quantum dots, MXene-graphene heterostructures, plasmonic gold nanoparticles, electrospun polyacrylonitrile nanofibers, transparent flexible photovoltaics, multiphysics simulation-driven design
First Page
243
Last Page
258
Publisher
The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK)
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
VAGHEF-KOODEHI, A (2026). Quantum engineered MXene–graphene–plasmonic nanocomposites for next-generation transparent and flexible space photovoltaics. Turkish Journal of Chemistry 50 (3): 243-258. https://doi.org/10.55730/1300-0527.3795
