Publication Type : Journal Article
Thematic Areas : Nanosciences and Molecular Medicine
Publisher : Journal of Materials Science and Technology
Source : Journal of Materials Science and Technology, Volume 27, Number 11, p.961-966 (2011)
Keywords : Absorbance peak, Blue luminescence, Conversion efficiency, Diameter-size distribution, Diffraction peaks, Dye-Sensitized solar cell, Dye-sensitized solar cells, Electrochemical deposition, Electrodeposition, Energy gap values, Fill factor, Glass substrates, Indium, Indium doped tin oxides, Internal defects, ITO glass, Nanotubes, Photoanode, Photoelectrochemical cells, Photoluminescence, Photoluminescence spectra, Photoluminescence spectrum, Profilometers, Quantum efficiency, Reduction, scanning electron microscopy, Selective etching, Size distribution, Solar cells, Substrates, Tin, Tin oxides, Ultra-violet, Visible region, Well-aligned, X ray diffraction, Zinc oxide, ZnO, ZnO nanotube
Campus : Kochi
School : Center for Nanosciences
Center : Nanosciences
Department : Nanosciences and Molecular Medicine
Year : 2011
Abstract : Vertical ZnO nanotube (ZNT) arrays were synthesized onto an indium doped tin oxide (ITO) glass substrate by a simple electrochemical deposition technique followed by a selective etching process. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed formation of well-faceted hexagonal ZNT arrays spreading uniformly over a large area. X-ray diffraction (XRD) of ZNT layer showed substantially higher intensity for the (0002) diffraction peak, indicating that the ZnO crystallites were well aligned with their c-axis. Profilometer measurements of the ZNT layer showed an average thickness of nbsp;7 μm. Diameter size distribution (DSD) analysis showed that ZNTs exhibited a narrow diameter size distribution in the range of 65-120 nm and centered at nbsp;75 nm. The photoluminescence (PL) spectrum measurement showed violet and blue luminescence peaks that were centered at 410 and 480 nm, respectively, indicating the presence of internal defects. Ultra-violet (UV) spectroscopy showed major absorbance peak at nbsp;348 nm, exhibiting an increase in energy gap value of 3.4 eV. By employing the formed ZNTs as the photo-anode for a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC), a full-sun conversion efficiency of 1.01% was achieved with a fill factor of 54%. Quantum efficiency studies showed the maximum of incident photon-to-electron conversion efficiency in a visible region located at 520-550 nm range. © 2011 The Chinese Society for Metals.
Cite this Research Publication : R. Ranjusha, Lekha, P., Subramanian, K. R. V., Shantikumar, V. N., and Balakrishnan, A., “Photoanode Activity of ZnO Nanotube Based Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells”, Journal of Materials Science and Technology, vol. 27, pp. 961-966, 2011.