Fabrication of ZnO nanostructures sensitized with CdS quantum dots for photovoltaic application using a convenient solution method

Journal Article · Thu Jan 15 04:00:00 EST 2015 · Materials Research Bulletin

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MATERRESBULL.2014.10.068· OSTI ID:22420784

Liu, Huan ^[1]; Zhang, Gengmin ^[1]; Yin, Jianbo ^[2]; Liang, Jia; Sun, Wentao; Shen, Ziyong ^[1]

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1. Key Laboratory for the Physics and Chemistry of Nanodevices and Department of Electronics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China)
2. College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China)

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures sensitized with cadmium sulfide quantum dots (CdS QDs) were fabricated using a simple and inexpensive solution method. ZnO nanostructures, in the form of either nanocones or nanorods, were first grown directly from fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates in aqueous solutions of zinc nitrate (Zn(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}) and hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA, C{sub 6}H{sub 12}N{sub 4}) under external voltages. Then, CdS QDs were attached to these ZnO nanostructures via reactions in the mixed aqueous solutions of cadmium nitrate (Cd(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}) and thioacetamide (C{sub 2}H{sub 5}NS). Photovoltaic responses were obtained from the quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) in which these CdS QD-covered ZnO nanostructures were employed as the photoanodes. The morphologies of the ZnO nanostructures, which could be effectively modulated via the substrate location in the solutions during the fabrication, were found to have played an important role in determining the properties of the QDSSCs.

• OSTI ID: 22420784
• Journal Information: Materials Research Bulletin, Journal Name: Materials Research Bulletin Vol. 61; ISSN MRBUAC; ISSN 0025-5408
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
CADMIUM NITRATES
CADMIUM SULFIDES
DOPED MATERIALS
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
FABRICATION
MORPHOLOGY
PHOTOANODES
PHOTOVOLTAIC EFFECT
QUANTUM DOTS
SOL-GEL PROCESS
SOLAR CELLS
SUBSTRATES
TIN OXIDES
UROTROPIN
ZINC NITRATES
ZINC OXIDES