Synthesis and characterization of CuO nanofibers, and investigation for its suitability as blocking layer in ZnO NPs based dye sensitized solar cell and as photocatalyst in organic dye degradation

Journal Article · Wed Feb 15 00:00:00 EST 2012 · Journal of Solid State Chemistry

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssc.2011.12.013· OSTI ID:21612921

Sahay, R; Sundaramurthy, J; Suresh Kumar, P ^[1]; Thavasi, V ^[2]; Mhaisalkar, S G ^[1]; Ramakrishna, S ^[2]

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1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 (Singapore)
2. NUS Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Initiative, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117576 (Singapore)

Electrospun copper based composite nanofibers were synthesized using the copper acetate/polyvinyl alcohol/water solution as starting material. Synthesized composite nanofibers were sintered at 500 Degree-Sign C to obtain CuO nanofibers. XRD, FTIR and XPS techniques were used to confirm the presence of pure CuO nanostructures. The effect of annealing cycle on the crystalline structure of the CuO nanofibers was analyzed and observed that the decrease in crystallite size with an increase in the dwelling time improved the orientation of the CuO crystallite. The blue-shift in the band-gap energies of CuO nanofibers was observed as a result of quantum confinement from bulk CuO (1.2 eV) to one dimensional (1D) nanostructures ({approx}1.746 eV). The catalytic activity of the CuO fibers for the degradation of methyl orange was carried out and as a blocking layer in ZnO based DSSC was fabricated and observed a {approx}25% increase in the current density. - Graphical abstract: The study on the suitability of highly crystalline CuO nanofibers as the blocking layer in ZnO based DSSC was demonstrated and fabricated with possible energy applications. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer CuO nanofibers were successfully synthesized by using electrospinning technique. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The effect of the dwelling time of the annealing cycle for the formation of the crystallite CuO nanofibers was analyzed. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A 25% increase in the current density was observed with the application of CuO as blocking layer.

• OSTI ID: 21612921
• Journal Information: Journal of Solid State Chemistry, Vol. 186; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.jssc.2011.12.013; PII: S0022-4596(11)00683-9; Copyright (c) 2011 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0022-4596
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
CATALYSIS
COPPER
COPPER OXIDES
CURRENT DENSITY
DEPLETION LAYER
FOURIER TRANSFORMATION
INFRARED SPECTRA
METHYL ORANGE
NANOSTRUCTURES
PVA
SOLAR CELLS
SYNTHESIS
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
ZINC OXIDES
ALCOHOLS
AMINES
AZO COMPOUNDS
AZO DYES
CHALCOGENIDES
COHERENT SCATTERING
COPPER COMPOUNDS
DIFFRACTION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
DISPERSIONS
DYES
ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
HOMOGENEOUS MIXTURES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INDICATORS
INTEGRAL TRANSFORMATIONS
LAYERS
METALS
MIXTURES
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
POLYMERS
POLYVINYLS
SCATTERING
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLUTIONS
SPECTRA
SPECTROSCOPY
SULFONIC ACIDS
TRANSFORMATIONS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
ZINC COMPOUNDS