The effect of hydrothermal growth temperature on preparation and photoelectrochemical performance of ZnO nanorod array films

• Published in: Journal of solid state chemistry Vol. 178; no. 10; pp. 3210 - 3215
• Main Authors: Guo, Min, Diao, Peng, Wang, Xindong, Cai, Shengmin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: San Diego, CA Elsevier Inc 01.10.2005; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; Growth temperature; Hydrothermal; INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; Materials science; MONOCRYSTALS; NANOSTRUCTURES; Natural energy; PHOTOANODES; Photoelectrochemical properties; Photovoltaic conversion; Physics; SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY; SOLAR CELLS; Solar cells. Photoelectrochemical cells; Solar energy; SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION; THIN FILMS; X-RAY DIFFRACTION; ZINC OXIDES; ZnO nanorod arrays; Growth temperature; ZnO nanorod arrays; Hydrothermal; Photoelectrochemical properties; Temperature; Inorganic compounds; Films; Photoeleclrochemical properties; Transition element compounds; XRD; Orientation; Substrates; Tin oxides; Hydrothermal growth; Zinc oxides; Temperature effects; Preparation; Growth mechanism; Hydrothermal. Growth temperature; Indium oxides; Performance; Arrays; Nanostructured materials; Nanorod
• ISSN: 0022-4596; 1095-726X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jssc.2005.07.013

Highly oriented ZnO nanorod arrays with controlled diameter and length, narrow size distribution and high orientation consistency have been successfully prepared on ITO substrates at different growth temperatures by using a simple hydrothermal method. XRD results indicate that the nanorods are high-quality single crystals growing along [001] direction with a high consistent orientation perpendicular to the substrate. SEM images show that the nanorods have average diameters of about 30–70 nm by changing growth temperature. The thin films consisting of ZnO nanorods with controlled orientation onto ITO substrates allow a more efficient transport and collection of photogenerated electrons through a designed path. For a sandwich-type cell, the relatively high overall solar energy conversion efficiency reaches about 2.4% when the growth temperature is at 95 °C. ZnO nanorod arrays with average diameter smaller than 70 nm and high orientation consistency are achieved in large scale by adjusting the growth temperature. When employed as photoanodes in dye-sensitized solar cells, the ZnO nanorod array films show relatively higher photoconversion efficiency.