Electrodeposited CZTS loaded titania nanotubes for photocatalytic water splitting

Abstract Copper Zinc Tin Sulphide (Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 (CZTS)) is a promising semiconductor material with optimum direct band gap of 1.4-1.6 eV, large light absorption coefficient (> 10 4 cm -1 ) and p-type electrical conductivity. In addition, its earth abundant and non-toxic elemental constituents mak...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inIOP conference series. Materials Science and Engineering Vol. 1291; no. 1; pp. 12006 - 12011
Main Authors Jayakumar, Athulya, Krishnan, Ambily
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Bristol IOP Publishing 01.09.2023
Subjects
Absorptivity
Anatase
Arrays
Buffer layers
Copper indium gallium selenides
Copper zinc tin sulfide
Electrical resistivity
Electrodeposition
Electromagnetic absorption
Emission analysis
Energy gap
Fibrous structure
Field emission microscopy
Metal foils
Nanotubes
Photocatalysis
Photovoltaic cells
Semiconductor materials
Solar cells
Thin films
Titanium dioxide
Water splitting
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Summary:Abstract Copper Zinc Tin Sulphide (Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 (CZTS)) is a promising semiconductor material with optimum direct band gap of 1.4-1.6 eV, large light absorption coefficient (> 10 4 cm -1 ) and p-type electrical conductivity. In addition, its earth abundant and non-toxic elemental constituents make it a good candidate to replace the CdTe and CIGS absorber layers used in thin film solar cells. Also, it has properties that make it useful as a buffer layer that helps to reduce the effective band gap of TiO 2 when used as an anode for photocatalytic splitting of water. We prepared titania nano tube (TNT) arrays by anodization of titanium foil. Raman spectrum of TNT confirmed the presence of pure anatase phase of TiO 2 . Field emission scanning electron microscopy images were obtained to analyse the surface morphology of TNT. CZTS sensitized titania nano tube arrays were then prepared by the electrodeposition of CZTS thin films over TNT arrays. FESEM images of the CZTS sensitized titania nano tube arrays showed that the electrodeposited CZTS layer had a fibrous structure. A photo electro chemical (PEC) cell was set up with CZTS sensitized titania nanotubes as anode. An anodic current density of 0.19 mA/cm 2 was shown by the PEC cell when the anode was irradiated with blue light of wavelength 430 nm at power 50 mW/cm 2 . The incident photon to current conversion efficiency was 1.1 %.
ISSN:1757-8981
1757-899X
DOI:10.1088/1757-899X/1291/1/012006