Hybrid photoanode films based on sparse ZnO rod array-TiO2 nanoparticles in dye-sensitized solar cells
ZnO-TiO2 hybrid photoanodes were fabricated via the doctor-blade method by integrating vertically-grown sparse ZnO arrays with hydrothermal TiO2 nanoparticles. A special surface-coating technique was developed to deposit a thin TiO2 layer on the surface of ZnO rods. Microstructure, optical and photo...
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Published in | Science China. Physics, mechanics & astronomy Vol. 55; no. 7; pp. 1183 - 1188 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Heidelberg
SP Science China Press
01.07.2012
Springer Nature B.V |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | ZnO-TiO2 hybrid photoanodes were fabricated via the doctor-blade method by integrating vertically-grown sparse ZnO arrays with hydrothermal TiO2 nanoparticles. A special surface-coating technique was developed to deposit a thin TiO2 layer on the surface of ZnO rods. Microstructure, optical and photoelectrochemical performance of the hybrid photoanodes were investi- gated. The denser ZnO array exhibited bad filling behavior of nanoparticles in the interspace of ZnO rods, strong scattering and low conversion efficiency (0.27%). The sparser array showed a much better integrated microstructure, improved transmittance and high conversion efficiency (2.68%). The surface modification of ZnO rods by the TiO2 thin layer was found useful in im- proving the interfacial microstructure between the ZnO rod and the TiO2 bulk film, and the total conversion efficiency of 3.01% was achieved, higher than that of the pure TiO2 nanoparticle cell (2.93%). The increased scattering effects on the inci- dent light, the enhanced electron transportation at TiO2/dye/electrolyte interface, and the inhabited recombination were respon- sible for this improvement. |
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Bibliography: | 11-5000/N ZnO-TiO2 hybrid photoanodes were fabricated via the doctor-blade method by integrating vertically-grown sparse ZnO arrays with hydrothermal TiO2 nanoparticles. A special surface-coating technique was developed to deposit a thin TiO2 layer on the surface of ZnO rods. Microstructure, optical and photoelectrochemical performance of the hybrid photoanodes were investi- gated. The denser ZnO array exhibited bad filling behavior of nanoparticles in the interspace of ZnO rods, strong scattering and low conversion efficiency (0.27%). The sparser array showed a much better integrated microstructure, improved transmittance and high conversion efficiency (2.68%). The surface modification of ZnO rods by the TiO2 thin layer was found useful in im- proving the interfacial microstructure between the ZnO rod and the TiO2 bulk film, and the total conversion efficiency of 3.01% was achieved, higher than that of the pure TiO2 nanoparticle cell (2.93%). The increased scattering effects on the inci- dent light, the enhanced electron transportation at TiO2/dye/electrolyte interface, and the inhabited recombination were respon- sible for this improvement. hybrid photoanode, ZnO, TiO2, dye-sensitized solar cells ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 |
ISSN: | 1674-7348 1869-1927 |
DOI: | 10.1007/s11433-012-4770-1 |