Synthesis of capped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals of controlled shape and their use with MEH-PPV conjugated polymer to develop nanocomposite films for photovoltaic applications

Journal Article · Thu May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4873778· OSTI ID:22270974

Mighri, F., E-mail: [e-mail], E-mail: [e-mail]; Duong, Vu Thi Thuy, E-mail: [e-mail], E-mail: [e-mail] ^[1]; On, Do Trong, E-mail: [e-mail] ^[2]; Ajji, A., E-mail: [e-mail] ^[3]

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1. CREPEC and Department of Chemical Engineering, Laval University, Quebec (Canada)
2. Department of Chemical Engineering, Laval University, Quebec G1V 0A6 (Canada)
3. CREPEC, Department of Chemical Engineering, École Polytechnique de Montréal, Montreal, QC (Canada)

This study presents the synthesis details of titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) nanoparticles (NPs) of different shapes (nanospheres, nanorods and nanorhombics) using oleic acid (OA) and oleyl amine (OM) as capping agents. In order to develop nanocomposite thin films for photovoltaic cells, these TiO{sub 2} NPs were carefully dispersed in 2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethylhexyloxy)-p-phenylene vinylene (MEH-PPV) matrix. The properties of synthesized TiO{sub 2} NPs and MEH-PPV/TiO{sub 2} nanocomposites were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), UV-Visible spectroscopy, and Photoluminescence technique. It was found that the shape of NPs and the amount of OA and OM surfactants capped on their surface have an effect on their energy bandgap and also on the dispersion quality of MEH-PPV/TiO{sub 2} nanocomposites. Even though there was no evidence of chemical bonding between MEH-PPV matrix and TiO2 dispersed NPs, MEH-PPV/TiO{sub 2} nanocomposites showed very promising results for light absorption properties and charge transfer at the interface of the conjugated MEH-PPV matrix and TiO{sub 2} dispersed NPs, which are two main characteristics for photovoltaic materials.

• OSTI ID: 22270974
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1593, Issue 1; Conference: PPS-29: 29. international conference of the Polymer Processing Society, Nuremberg (Germany), 15-19 Jul 2013; Other Information: (c) 2014 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
CHEMICAL BONDS
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
ENERGY GAP
INTERFACES
NANOSTRUCTURES
OLEIC ACID
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PHOTOLUMINESCENCE
PHOTOVOLTAIC EFFECT
THERMAL GRAVIMETRIC ANALYSIS
THIN FILMS
TITANIUM OXIDES
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY