Preparation of Zinc Oxide Hollow Spheres and Their Application as Photoanode in Dye Sensitized Solar Cell
Abstract
ZnO hollow spheres were synthesized by hydrothermal method. The as-prepared samples were characterized by XRD, FESEM and UV-Vis spectroscopy techniques. The XRD results showed that all the samples are hexagonal wurtzite structure and crystallite size increased with increasing calcine temperature. FESEM images exhibited that the calcined samples have a hollow sphere morphology with average diameter in the ranges 4.6 – 5.3 µm. The results from UV-vis spectroscopy technique indicated that the reflectivity percentage tended to increase with increasing calcine temperature. The energy band gap (Eg) of the samples were evaluated using UV–Vis absorption spectra and it was found to be in the range of 3.05 – 3.13 eV. The light-to-electricity conversion efficiency was carried out using the AM 1.5 direct spectrum and the result showed that the ZnO hollow sphere calcined at 600oC film-based dye-sensitized solar cell has the highest efficiency of 0.31%. This result is contributed to the relatively lager particle size and high porosity of the samples. Keywords : ZnO hollow spheres, hydrothermal method, dye-sensitized solar cell, light scattering, light harvestingReferences
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Deepa, M., Kar, M., & Agnihotry, S.A. (2004). Electrodeposited tungsten oxide films: Annealing effects on structure and electrochromic performance. Thin Solid Films, 468(1–2), 32–42.
Fan, K., Zhang, W., Peng, T., Chen, J., & Yang, F. (2011). Application of TiO2 fusiform nanorods for dye-sensitized solar cells with significantly improved efficiency. The Journal of Physical Chemistry, 115,
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Fabregat-Santiago, F., Bisquert, J., Garcia-Belmonte, G., Boschloo, G., & Hagfeldt, A. (2005). Influence of electrolyte in transport and recombination in dye-sensitized solar cells studied by impedance spectroscopy. Solar Energy Material. Solar Cells, 87, 117–131.
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Kanmani, S.S., Ramachantran, K. (2012). Shynthesis and characterization of TiO2/ZnO core/shell nanomaterials for solar cell applications, Renewable Energy, 43, 149-156.
Khannam, M., & Dolui, S.K. (2017). Cerium doped TiO2 photoanode for an efficient quasi-solid state dye sensitized solar cells based on polyethylene oxide/multiwalled carbon nanotube/polyaniline gel electrolyte. Solar Energy, 150, 55–65.
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Li, Y., Li, D.L., Liu, J.C. (2015). Optical and gas sensing properties of mesoporous hollow ZnO microspheres fabricated via a solvothermal method. Chinese Chemical Letters, 26, 304–308.
Lu, L., Li, R., Fan, K., & Peng, T. (2010). Effects of annealing conditions on the photoelectrochemical properties of dye-sensitized solar cells made with ZnO nanoparticles. Solar Energy, 84, 844–853.
Mehmood, U., Hussein, I.A., Harrabi, K., Mekki, M.B., Ahmed, S., & Tabet, N. (2015). Hybrid TiO2-multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) photoanodes for efficient dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Solar Energy Material and Solar Cells, 140, 174–179.
Rajendran, V., & Anandan, K. (2012). Size, morphology and optical properties of SnO2 nanoparticles synthesized by facile surfactant-assisted solvothermal processing. Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing, 15, 393-400.
Sedghi, A., & Nourmohammadi Miankushki, H. (2014). Effect of multi walled carbon nanotubes as counter electrode on dye sensitized solar cells. International Journal of Electrochemical Science, 9, 2029–2037.
Singh, R.P.P., Hudiara, I.S., & Rana, S.B. (2016). Effect of calcination temperature on the structural, optical
and magnetic properties of pure and Fe-doped ZnO nanoparticles. Materials Science-Poland, 34(2), 451-459.
Vlazan, P., Ursu, D. H., Irina-Moisescu, C., Miron, I., Sfirloaga, P., & Rusu, E. (2015). Structural and electrical properties of TiO2/ZnO core–shell nanoparticles synthesized by hydrothermal method. Materials Characterization, 101, 153–158.
Wang, C., Ao, Y., Wang, P., Hou, J., & Qian, J. (2010). Preparation, characterization and photocatalytic activity of the neodymium-doped TiO2 hollow spheres. Applied Surface Science, 257, 227–231.
Wang, Z.S., Kawauchi, H., Kashima, T., & Arakawa, H. (2004). Significant influence of TiO2 photoelectrode morphology on the energy conversion efficiency of N719 dye-sensitized solar cell. Coordination Chemistry Reviews, 248, 1381–1389.
Wang, L., Ma, C., Ru, X., Zheng Guo, Z., Wu, D., Zhang, S., Yu, G., Hu, Y., & Wang, J. (2015). Facile synthesis of ZnO hollow microspheres and their high performance in photocatalytic degradation and dye sensitized solar cells. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 647, 57-62.
Xu, J., Fan, K., Shi, W., Li, K., & Peng, T. (2014). Application of ZnO micro-flowers as scattering layer for ZnO-based dye-sensitized solar cells with enhanced conversion efficiency. Solar Energy, 101, 150–159.
Bisquert, J., Zaban, A., Greenshtein, M., & Ser, I.M. (2004). Determination of rate constants for charge transfer and distribution of semiconductor and electrolyte electronic energy levels in dye-sensitized solar cells by open-circuit photovoltage decay method. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 126, 13550–13559.
Bongkarn, T. (2014). Dielectric Ceramic and Capacitors. Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University. (in Thai)
Cheng, C., Amini, A., Zhu, C., Xu, Z., Song, H., Wang, N. (2014). Enhanced photocatalytic performance of TiO2-ZnO hybrid nanostructures, Scientific Report, 4, 4181.
Chauhan, R., Shinde, M., Kumar, A., Gosavi, S., & Amalnerkar, D.P. (2016). Hierarchical zinc oxide pomegranate and hollow sphere structures as efficient photoanodes for dye-sensitized solar cells. Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 226, 201-208.
Deepa, M., Kar, M., & Agnihotry, S.A. (2004). Electrodeposited tungsten oxide films: Annealing effects on structure and electrochromic performance. Thin Solid Films, 468(1–2), 32–42.
Fan, K., Zhang, W., Peng, T., Chen, J., & Yang, F. (2011). Application of TiO2 fusiform nanorods for dye-sensitized solar cells with significantly improved efficiency. The Journal of Physical Chemistry, 115,
17213–17219.
Fabregat-Santiago, F., Bisquert, J., Garcia-Belmonte, G., Boschloo, G., & Hagfeldt, A. (2005). Influence of electrolyte in transport and recombination in dye-sensitized solar cells studied by impedance spectroscopy. Solar Energy Material. Solar Cells, 87, 117–131.
Guo, W., Li, X., Qin, H., & Wang, Z. (2015). PEG-20000 assisted hydrothermal synthesis of hierarchical ZnO flowers: Structure, growth and gas sensor properties. Physica E: Low-dimensional Systems and Nanostructures, 73, 163–168.
Ito, S., Nazeeruddin, M.K., Liska, P., Comte, P., Charvet, R., Pechy, P., Jirousek, M., Kay, A., Zakeeruddin, S.M., & Gratzel, M. (2006). Photovoltaic characterization of dye-sensitized solar cells: Effect of device masking on conversion efficiency. Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, 14, 589–601.
Jiang, J., Zhang, K., Chen, X., Zhao, F., Xie, T., Wang, D., & Lin, Y. (2017). Porous Ce-doped ZnO hollow sphere with enhanced photodegradation activity for artificial waste water. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 699, 907–913.
Jung, M. H. (2017). High efficiency dye-sensitized solar cells based on the ZnO nanoparticle aggregation sphere. Materials Chemistry and Physics, 202, 234–244.
Kanmani, S.S., Ramachantran, K. (2012). Shynthesis and characterization of TiO2/ZnO core/shell nanomaterials for solar cell applications, Renewable Energy, 43, 149-156.
Khannam, M., & Dolui, S.K. (2017). Cerium doped TiO2 photoanode for an efficient quasi-solid state dye sensitized solar cells based on polyethylene oxide/multiwalled carbon nanotube/polyaniline gel electrolyte. Solar Energy, 150, 55–65.
Lee, K.M., Lai, C.W., Ngai, K.S., & Juan, J.C. (2016). Recent developments of zinc oxide based photocatalyst in water treatment technology: A review. Water Research, 88, 428–448.
Li, Y., Li, D.L., Liu, J.C. (2015). Optical and gas sensing properties of mesoporous hollow ZnO microspheres fabricated via a solvothermal method. Chinese Chemical Letters, 26, 304–308.
Lu, L., Li, R., Fan, K., & Peng, T. (2010). Effects of annealing conditions on the photoelectrochemical properties of dye-sensitized solar cells made with ZnO nanoparticles. Solar Energy, 84, 844–853.
Mehmood, U., Hussein, I.A., Harrabi, K., Mekki, M.B., Ahmed, S., & Tabet, N. (2015). Hybrid TiO2-multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) photoanodes for efficient dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Solar Energy Material and Solar Cells, 140, 174–179.
Rajendran, V., & Anandan, K. (2012). Size, morphology and optical properties of SnO2 nanoparticles synthesized by facile surfactant-assisted solvothermal processing. Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing, 15, 393-400.
Sedghi, A., & Nourmohammadi Miankushki, H. (2014). Effect of multi walled carbon nanotubes as counter electrode on dye sensitized solar cells. International Journal of Electrochemical Science, 9, 2029–2037.
Singh, R.P.P., Hudiara, I.S., & Rana, S.B. (2016). Effect of calcination temperature on the structural, optical
and magnetic properties of pure and Fe-doped ZnO nanoparticles. Materials Science-Poland, 34(2), 451-459.
Vlazan, P., Ursu, D. H., Irina-Moisescu, C., Miron, I., Sfirloaga, P., & Rusu, E. (2015). Structural and electrical properties of TiO2/ZnO core–shell nanoparticles synthesized by hydrothermal method. Materials Characterization, 101, 153–158.
Wang, C., Ao, Y., Wang, P., Hou, J., & Qian, J. (2010). Preparation, characterization and photocatalytic activity of the neodymium-doped TiO2 hollow spheres. Applied Surface Science, 257, 227–231.
Wang, Z.S., Kawauchi, H., Kashima, T., & Arakawa, H. (2004). Significant influence of TiO2 photoelectrode morphology on the energy conversion efficiency of N719 dye-sensitized solar cell. Coordination Chemistry Reviews, 248, 1381–1389.
Wang, L., Ma, C., Ru, X., Zheng Guo, Z., Wu, D., Zhang, S., Yu, G., Hu, Y., & Wang, J. (2015). Facile synthesis of ZnO hollow microspheres and their high performance in photocatalytic degradation and dye sensitized solar cells. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 647, 57-62.
Xu, J., Fan, K., Shi, W., Li, K., & Peng, T. (2014). Application of ZnO micro-flowers as scattering layer for ZnO-based dye-sensitized solar cells with enhanced conversion efficiency. Solar Energy, 101, 150–159.
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2019-09-16
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