Effect of surface etching on the efficiency of ZnO-based dye-sensitized solar cells

Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
Fengpo YanMingdeng Wei

Abstract

In this study, we report on an insight into the influential factors of the conversion efficiency of ZnO-based dye-sensitized solar cells. With ZnO nanoflowers as the photoelectric anode and dye N719 as the sensitizer, we found with the addition of N719 that the surfaces of ZnO nanoflowers were slightly etched at the beginning and gradually destroyed with time. On the basis of these observations, a series of experiments were further carried out to distinguish the influence of dye-induced aggregation from that of dye-induced etching on the solar-to-electric conversion efficiency. SEM observation reveals that there were no obvious dye/Zn(2+) aggregations on any of the samples. XRD results indicate that there was no new phase formed during the dye-sensitizing process. I-V measurements reveal clearly that the efficiency of ZnO-based DSSCs was inversely proportional to the etching level of ZnO surfaces. We concluded that the dye-induced etching of the ZnO anode may be an assignable cause that results in the low efficiency of ZnO-based DSSCs. The etching of ZnO may lead to low surface absorption efficiency of the dye, low electron mobility, and a high surface recombination ratio of photocarriers. Therefore, we suggest that special att...Continue Reading

References

May 17, 2005·Nature Materials·Matt LawPeidong Yang
Dec 1, 2005·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Mohammad K NazeeruddinMichael Grätzel
Feb 10, 2009·Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids·Olena TaratulaYicheng Lu

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Citations

Mar 31, 2012·Journal of Hazardous Materials·Zhizhong HanJianzhong Chen
Oct 27, 2015·Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics : PCCP·Partha Pratim DasParukuttyamma Sujatha Devi
Nov 16, 2010·Chemical Communications : Chem Comm·Kwi Nam HanGi Hun Seong
Mar 8, 2012·Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids·Nathan Johann NicholasGeorge V Franks
Jul 10, 2018·Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology. A, Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films : an Official Journal of the American Vacuum Society·Mahsa KonhAndrew V Teplyakov
Sep 8, 2012·Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids·Kin-ya TomizakiTakahito Imai
Jan 25, 2018·The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters·Chuan HeAndrew V Teplyakov

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