Issue 5, 2013

Nanorod–nanosheet hierarchically structured ZnO crystals on zinc foil as flexible photoanodes for dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

In this paper, ZnO nanorodnanosheet hierarchical structures were fabricated using a facile method on zinc foil and used as flexible photoanodes in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). Compared to nanorods (NRs) obtained by the dissolution–precipitation method, the nanorodnanosheet (NR–NS) hierarchical structures obtained by a second-step homogeneous precipitation improved the performance of DSCs by increasing photocurrent density significantly. As a result, the power conversion efficiency of the devices based on such a NR–NS hierarchical structure reached up to 2.4% under 100 mW cm−2 illumination condition. This represents an enhancement by 108% as compared to DSCs based on NR assembled nanoflowers, for which the efficiency was 1.1%. The enhancement of the photocurrent was due mainly to the much larger specific surface area and resulting dye-loading amount. The electron transport properties in this structure were also investigated by means of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Furthermore, the formation mechanism of the NR–NS hierarchical structures are discussed.

Graphical abstract: Nanorod–nanosheet hierarchically structured ZnO crystals on zinc foil as flexible photoanodes for dye-sensitized solar cells

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
12 nov 2012
Accepted
22 des 2012
First published
03 jan 2013

Nanoscale, 2013,5, 1894-1901

Nanorodnanosheet hierarchically structured ZnO crystals on zinc foil as flexible photoanodes for dye-sensitized solar cells

R. Gao, J. Tian, Z. Liang, Q. Zhang, L. Wang and G. Cao, Nanoscale, 2013, 5, 1894 DOI: 10.1039/C2NR33599A

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