Fabrication of Microfibre-nanowire Junction Arrays of ZnO/SnO2 Composite by the Carbothermal Evaporation Method

• A cotton-like ZnO/SnO2 nanocomposite was grown by the carbothermal evaporation of a mixture of ZnO and SnO2 powders at 1100 degrees C by the vapour-liquid-solid process, in which the Sn particles produced by the reduction of SnO2 act as the catalyst. Field-emission scanning electron microscope images suggest that the composites are made of microfibre-nanowire junction arrays. The structure is formed due to the fast growth of the ZnO microfibre and the subsequent epitaxial radial growth of the ZnO nanowires with Sn particles at the tips. The photovoltaic performance of the ZnO/SnO2 nanocomposite sensitized with a D35-cpdt dye was investigated. A dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) with a ZnO/SnO2 nanocomposite photoanode based on a cobalt electrolyte achieved a solar-to-electricity conversion efficiency of similar to 0.34% with a short circuit current (JSC) of 0.66 mA/cm(2), an open circuit voltage (VOC) of 870 mV, and a fill factor (FF) of 59. The results show the potential of this one dimensional structure in cobalt electrolyte-based DSSCs; the further optimization which is needed to achieve higher efficiencies is also discussed.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Nanoteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Nano-technology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

ZnO/SnO2 Nanocomposite

Dye-sensitized Solar Cell

Nanostructured Surfaces

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)