Influence of defect density on the ZnO nanostructures of dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

The relationship between bilayer nanostructure, defect density and dye-sensitized solar cell (DSCC) performances was investigated. By adjusting bilayer nanostructures, defect density of ZnO nanodendrite-nanorods structure was decreased comparing to that of nanoflower-nanorods structure. The performances of DSCC based on ZnO nanodendrites-nanorods structure and nanoflower-nanorods structure were studied by Raman spectrum, room temperature photoluminescence, dye loading, photocurrent density-voltage characteristic and open-circuit voltage decay (OCVD) technique. The device with nanodendrite-nanorods structure has lower charge recombination rate and prolonged electron lifetime due to its microstructure feature.

Keywords

ZnO / Bilayer / Nanostructure / Nanodendrite-nanorods defect / Dye-sensitized solar cells

References

[1] Lu X, Huang F, Mou X, Wang Y, Xu F. A general preparation strategy for hybrid TiO₂ hierarchical spheres and their enhanced solar energy utilization efficiency. Adv Mater, 2010, 22: 3719-3722.

[2] Liu Z, Liu C, Ya J. Preparation of ZnO nanoparticles and characteristics of dye-sensitized solar cells based on nanoparticles film. Solid State Sci, 2010, 12: 111-114.

[3] Wong KK, Ng A, Chen XY, et al. Effect of ZnO nanoparticle properties on dye-sensitized solar cell performance. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 2012, 4: 1254.

[4] Zhang Y, Chen J, Li C, et al. Incorporation of graphene in quantum dot sensitized solar cells based on ZnO nanorods. Chem Commun, 2011, 47: 6084-6086.

[5] Yengantiwar A, Sharma R, Game O, Banpurkar A. Growth of aligned ZnO nanorods array on ITO for dye sensitized solar cell. Curr Appl Phys, 2011, 11: S113-S116.

[6] Lee Y-M, Yang H-W. Optimization of processing parameters on the controlled growth of ZnO nanorod arrays for the performance improvement of solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells. J Solid State Chem, 2011, 184: 615-623.

[7] Chen J, Lei W, Li C, et al. Flexible quantum dot sensitized solar cell by electrophoretic deposition of CdSe quantum dots on ZnO nanorods. Phys Chem Chem Phys, 2011, 13: 13182-13184.

[8] Chung J, Lee J, Lim S. Annealing effects of ZnO nanorods on dye-sensitized solar cell efficiency. Phys B, 2010, 405: 2593-2598.

[9] Han J, Fan F, Xu C, et al. ZnO nanotube-based dye-sensitized solar cell and its application in self-powered devices. Nanotechnology, 2010, 21: 405203.

[10] Ameen S, Akhtar MS, Kim YS, Yang OB, Shin HS. Influence of seed layer treatment on low temperature grown ZnO nanotubes: performances in dye sensitized solar cells. Electrochim Acta, 2011, 56: 1111-1116.

[11] Martinson AB, Elam JW, Hupp JT, Pellin MJ. ZnO nanotube based dye-sensitized solar cells. Nano Lett, 2007, 7: 2183-2187.

[12] Liu Z, Liu C, Ya J, Lei E. Controlled synthesis of ZnO and TiO₂ nanotubes by chemical method and their application in dye-sensitized solar cells. Renew Energy, 2011, 36: 1177-1181.

[13] Jiang CY, Sun XW, Lo GQ, Kwong DL, Wang JX. Improved dye-sensitized solar cells with a ZnO-nanoflower photoanode. Appl Phys Lett, 2007, 90: 263501.

[14] Akhtar MS, Hyung JH, Yang OB, Cho NK, Hwang HI, Lee SK. Thermally grown ZnO nanosheets for high efficiency dye-sensitized solar cells. J Nanosci Nanotechnol, 2010, 10: 3654.

[15] Chen W, Yang S. Dye-sensitized solar cells based on ZnO nanotetrapods. Frontiers Optoelectron China, 2011, 4: 24-44.

[16] Qiu J, Guo M, Feng Y, Wang X. Electrochemical deposition of branched hierarchical ZnO nanowire arrays and its photoelectrochemical properties. Electrochim Acta, 2011, 56: 5776-5782.

[17] Xu F, Dai M, Lu Y, Sun L. Hierarchical ZnO nanowire-nanosheet architectures for high power conversion efficiency in dye-sensitized solar cells. J Phys Chem C, 2010, 114: 2776-2782.

[18] Ko SH, Lee D, Kang HW, et al. Nanoforest of hydrothermally grown hierarchical ZnO nanowires for a high efficiency dye-sensitized solar cell. Nano Lett, 2011, 11: 666-671.

[19] Wu CT, Liao WP, Wu JJ. Three-dimensional ZnO nanodendrite/nanoparticle composite solar cells. J Mater Chem, 2011, 21: 2871-2876.

[20] Gao D, Xu CK, Wu JM, Desai UV. Multilayer assembly of nanowire arrays for dye-sensitized solar cells. J Am Chem Soc, 2011, 133: 8122-8125.

[21] Kyaw HH, Bora T, Dutta J. One-diode model equivalent circuit analysis for ZnO nanorod-based dye-sensitized solar cells: effects of annealing and active area. IEEE Trans Nanotechnol, 2012, 11: 763-768.

[22] Jung J, Myoung J, Lim S. Effects of ZnO nanowire synthesis parameters on the photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells. Thin Solid Films, 2012, 520: 5779-5789.

[23] Sarkar S, Makhal A, Bora T, Baruah S, Dutta J, Pal SK. Photoselective excited state dynamics in ZnO–Au nanocomposites and their implications in photocatalysis and dye-sensitized solar cells. Phys Chem Chem Phys, 2011, 13: 12488.

[24] Chung J, Myoung J, Oh J, Lim S. Synthesis of a ZnS shell on the ZnO nanowire and its effect on the nanowire-based dye-sensitized solar cells. J Phys Chem C, 2010, 114: 21360-21365.

[25] Wu MK, Ling T, Xie Y, Huang XG, Du XW. Performance comparison of dye-sensitized solar cells with different ZnO photoanodes. Semicond Sci Technol, 2011, 26: 105001.

[26] Sounart TL, Liu J, Voigt JA, Huo M, Spoerke ED, McKenzie B. Secondary nucleation and growth of ZnO. J Am Chem Soc, 2007, 129: 15786-15793.

[27] Xu L, Chen Q, Xu D. Hierarchical ZnO nanostructures obtained by electrodeposition. J Phys Chem C, 2007, 111: 11560-11565.

[28] Gao Y, Koumoto K. Bioinspired ceramic thin film processing: present status and future perspectives. Cryst Growth Des, 2005, 5: 1983-2017.

[29] Vanheusden K, Warren WL, Seager CH, Tallant DR, Voigt JA, Gnade BE. Mechanisms behind green photoluminescence in ZnO phosphor powders. J Appl Phys, 1996, 79: 7983.

[30] O’Regan BC, Durrant JR, Sommeling PM, Bakker NJ. Influence of the TiCl₄ treatment on nanocrystalline TiO₂ films in dye-sensitized solar cells. 2. Charge density, band edge shifts, and quantification of recombination losses at short circuit. J Phys Chem C, 2007, 111: 14001-14010.

[31] Green ANM, Palomares E, Haque SA, Kroon JM, Durrant JR. Charge transport versus recombination in dye-sensitized solar cells employing nanocrystalline TiO₂ and SnO₂ films. J Phys Chem B, 2005, 109: 12525.

[32] Yu H, Zhang S, Zhao H, Will G, Liu P. An efficient and low-cost TiO₂ compact layer for performance improvement of dye-sensitized solar cells. Electrochim Acta, 2009, 54: 1319-1324.

[33] Quintana M, Edvinsson T, Hagfeldt A, Boschloo G. Comparison of dye-sensitized ZnO and TiO₂ solar cells: studies of charge transport and carrier lifetime. J Phys Chem C, 2007, 111: 1035-1041.

[34] Zaban A, Greenshtein M, Bisquert J. Determination of the electron lifetime in nanocrystalline dye solar cells by open-circuit voltage decay measurements. ChemPhysChem, 2003, 4: 859-864.