IE24235 Vol. 23 No. 2 (2024)

Vol. 23, No. 2 (2024), IE24235 https://doi.org/10.24275/rmiq/IE24235

Soft chemistry synthesis of size-controlled ZnO nanostructures as photoanode for dye-sensitized solar cell

Authors

R. García-Molina, G.G. Suárez-Velázquez, W. J. Pech-Rodríguez, L.C. Ordóñez, P. C. Melendez-Gonzalez, N.M. Sánchez-Padilla, D. González-Quijano

Abstract

This study focuses on the systematic soft chemistry synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles as a photoanode for dye-sensitized solar cells. A microwave-assisted heated polyol route was used to dissociate zinc chloride (ZnCl2) in the presence of different NaOH concentrations and under low water concentrations. The obtained nanomaterial was examined by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The results confirmed O and Zn bond formation in the fresh material. The anode photocatalytic activity was evaluated in a dye-sensitized solar cell fabricated by electrophoretic deposition. The I-V curve of the as-prepared cell anodes reveals that NaOH high concentration improves the current densities resulting in better electrical efficiencies. The photoluminescence measurements indicate that the high NaOH concentration-prepared sample has significant emissions in the visible region. Dislocation density calculations from XRD data indicate that ZnO samples prepared with high NaOH concentrations have more crystallographic defects like oxygen vacancies or interstitial Zn. Similarly, changes in the E2 (high) phonon Raman mode intensity in ZnO samples suggest that oxygen vacancy formation is favored at high NaOH concentrations. This study demonstrated a fast synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles with photocatalytic properties in developing materials with sensitive defect-related properties for solar cell applications.

Keywords

soft chemical synthesis, nanoparticles, photocatalysts, oxygen vacancy, solar cell.

References
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References

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Arjunan, T. V., & Senthil, T. S. (2013). Review: Dye sensitised solar cells. Materials Technology, 28(1-2), 9-14. https://doi.org/10.1179/1753555712Y.0000000040
Atanacio-Sánchez, X., Pech-Rodríguez, W. J., Armendáriz-Mireles, E. N., Castillo-Robles, J. A., Meléndez-González, P. C., & Rocha-Rangel, E. (2020). Improving performance of ZnO flexible dye sensitized solar cell by incorporation of graphene oxide. Microsystem Technologies, 26(12), 3591-3599. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-020-04820-x
Baruah, S., Mahmood, M., Myint, M. T. Z., Bora, T., & Dutta, J. (2010). Enhanced visible light photocatalysis through fast crystallization of zinc oxide nanorods. Beilstein journal of nanotechnology, 1(1), 14-20. https://doi.org/10.3762/bjnano.1.3
Bindu, P., & Thomas, S. (2014). Estimation of lattice strain in ZnO nanoparticles: X-ray peak profile analysis. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Physics, 8(4), 123-134. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40094-014-0141-9
Bogomolov, K., & Ein-Eli, Y. (2023). Alkaline Ni−Zn Rechargeable Batteries for Sustainable Energy Storage: Battery Components, Deterioration Mechanisms, and Impact of Additives. ChemSusChem, n/a(n/a), e202300940. https://doi.org/10.1002/cssc.202300940
Chen, D., Wang, Z., Ren, T., Ding, H., Yao, W., Zong, R., & Zhu, Y. (2014). Influence of Defects on the Photocatalytic Activity of ZnO. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 118(28), 15300-15307. https://doi.org/10.1021/jp5033349
Chen, X., Liu, T., Li, Z., & Yin, X.-T. (2023). Recent developments in metal oxide semiconductors for n-Butanol detection. Materials Today Chemistry, 33, 101690. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtchem.2023.101690
Chen, X., Tang, Y., & Liu, W. (2017). Efficient Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Based on Nanoflower-like ZnO Photoelectrode. Molecules, 22(8), 1284. http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/22/8/1284
Cooper, J. K., Ling, Y., Longo, C., Li, Y., & Zhang, J. Z. (2012). Effects of Hydrogen Treatment and Air Annealing on Ultrafast Charge Carrier Dynamics in ZnO Nanowires Under in Situ Photoelectrochemical Conditions. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 116(33), 17360-17368. https://doi.org/10.1021/jp304428t
Daiko, Y., Schmidt, J., Kawamura, G., Romeis, S., Segets, D., Iwamoto, Y., & Peukert, W. (2017). Mechanochemically induced sulfur doping in ZnO via oxygen vacancy formation. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 19(21), 13838-13845. http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C7CP01489A
Dong, Z. W., Zhang, C. F., Deng, H., You, G. J., & Qian, S. X. (2006). Raman spectra of single micrometer-sized tubular ZnO. Materials Chemistry and Physics, 99(1), 160-163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchemphys.2005.10.005
Dou, X., Sabba, D., Mathews, N., Wong, L. H., Lam, Y. M., & Mhaisalkar, S. (2011). Hydrothermal Synthesis of High Electron Mobility Zn-doped SnO2 Nanoflowers as Photoanode Material for Efficient Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells. Chemistry of Materials, 23(17), 3938-3945. https://doi.org/10.1021/cm201366z
Du, B., Yao, Y., Shen, M., Luo, Z., Li, M., & Gao, Q. (2021). Synthesis and photocatalytic activity of dumbbell-like mesoporous ZnO micro-nanomaterials with tetrasulfonatomethyl-n-hexyl calix [4]resorcinarene tetrasodium salt as hard-soft template. Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids, 150(1), 109871. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpcs.2020.109871
Du, Y.-P., Zhang, Y.-W., Sun, L.-D., & Yan, C.-H. (2008). Efficient Energy Transfer in Monodisperse Eu-Doped ZnO Nanocrystals Synthesized from Metal Acetylacetonates in High-Boiling Solvents. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 112(32), 12234-12241. https://doi.org/10.1021/jp802958x
El Faroudi, L., Saadi, L., Barakat, A., Mansori, M., Abdelouahdi, K., & Solhy, A. (2023). Facile and Sustainable Synthesis of ZnO Nanoparticles: Effect of Gelling Agents on ZnO Shapes and Their Photocatalytic Performance. ACS Omega, 8(28), 24952-24963. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.3c01491
Fiévet, F., Ammar-Merah, S., Brayner, R., Chau, F., Giraud, M., Mammeri, F., . . . Viau, G. (2018). The polyol process: a unique method for easy access to metal nanoparticles with tailored sizes, shapes and compositions. Chemical Society Reviews, 47(14), 5187-5233. http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C7CS00777A
Fukushima, H., Kozu, T., Shima, H., Funakubo, H., Uchida, H., Katoda, T., & Nishida, K. (2015, 24-27 May 2015). Evaluation of oxygen vacancy in ZnO using Raman spectroscopy. Paper presented at the 2015 Joint IEEE International Symposium on the Applications of Ferroelectric (ISAF), International Symposium on Integrated Functionalities (ISIF), and Piezoelectric Force Microscopy Workshop (PFM).
Fukushima, H., Uchida, H., Funakubo, H., Katoda, T., & Nishida, K. (2017). Evaluation of oxygen vacancies in ZnO single crystals and powders by micro-Raman spectroscopy. Journal of the Ceramic Society of Japan, 125(6), 445-448. https://doi.org/10.2109/jcersj2.16262
Gaikwad, S. S., Gandhi, A. C., Pandit, S. D., Pant, J., Chan, T.-S., Cheng, C.-L., . . . Wu, S. Y. (2014). Oxygen induced strained ZnO nanoparticles: an investigation of Raman scattering and visible photoluminescence. Journal of Materials Chemistry C, 2(35), 7264-7274. http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C4TC00566J
Haq, I.-u., Khan, M. I., Irfan, M., Fatima, M., Somaily, H. H., Elqahtani, Z. M., & Alwadai, N. (2023). Increase the current density and reduce the defects of ZnO by modification of the band gap edges with Cu ions implantation for efficient, flexible dye-sensitized solar cells (FDSSCs). Ceramics International, 49(18), 29622-29629. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2023.06.188
Jagadeesh, A., Veerappan, G., Devi, P. S., Unni, K. N. N., & Soman, S. (2023). Synergetic effect of TiO2/ZnO bilayer photoanodes realizing exceptionally high VOC for dye-sensitized solar cells under outdoor and indoor illumination. Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 11(27), 14748-14759. https://doi.org/10.1039/D3TA02698A
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