Improved dye-sensitized solar cell with a ZnO nanotree photoanode by hydrothermal method

Shou Yi Kuo, Jui Fu Yang, Fang I. Lai*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal Article peer-review

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of ZnO nanostructures on dye adsorption to increase the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of solar cells. ZnO nanostructures were grown in both tree-like and nanorod (NR) arrays on an AZO/FTO film structure by using a hydrothermal method. The results were observed in detail using X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), UV-visible spectrophotometry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and solar simulation. The selective growth of tree-like ZnO was found to exhibit higher dye adsorption loading and conversion efficiency than ZnO NRs. The multiple 'branches' of 'tree-like nanostructures' increases the surface area for higher light harvesting and dye loading while reducing charge recombination. These improvements result in a 15% enhancement in power conversion. The objective of this study is to facilitate the development of a ZnO-based dye-sensitized solar cell.

Original languageEnglish
Article number206
Pages (from-to)1-6
Number of pages6
JournalNanoscale Research Letters
Volume9
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2014

Keywords

  • Dye-sensitized solar cell
  • Nanorods
  • Tree-like
  • Zinc oxide

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