Molecular self-assembled designing and characterization of TiO2 NPs-CdS QDs-dye composite for photoanode materials
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee 30306-4390, FL (United States)
- Department of Chemistry, Shivaji University, Kolhapur 416004, MS (India)
- Computational Electronics and Nanoscience Research Laboratory, School of Nanoscience and Biotechnology, Shivaji University, Kolhapur 416004, MS (India)
Highlights: • Initially TiO{sub 2} NPs were synthesized by sol-gel method and CdS QDs by one pot synthesis method. • The connectivity between TiO{sub 2} NPs and CdS QDs was well revealed by zeta potential and FTIR techniques. • This binary system was sensitized with N719 dye molecule for better photoanode material. • Ternary TiO{sub 2} NPs-CdS QDs-N719 dye photoanode showed higher conversion efficiency than its binary photoanode devices. - Abstract: Ternary based photoanodes have been prepared by using titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) nanoparticles (NPs), cadmium sulfide (CdS) quantum dots (QDs) and N719 dye. Initially, CdS QDs and TiO{sub 2} NPs were synthesized by one pot synthesis and sol-gel method, respectively. CdS QDs were connected electrostatically to the surfaces of TiO{sub 2} NPs, and after that, this binary hybrid further self-assembled with N719 dye to form the composites. The NPs, QDs and the resultant composites are characterized by using different techniques. The connectivity of these anatase TiO{sub 2} NPs with cubic CdS QDs are confirmed by FTIR; while the broad coverage of these materials is studied through UV–Visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The surface topology and the cross-sectional morphology of thin films are studied by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) techniques; while the structural properties of NPs and QDs are studied by X-ray diffractometer (XRD). The synergetic co-sensitization of CdS and N719 dye significantly enhancing the overall power conversion efficiency (η) of TiO{sub 2} up to 2.37% (J{sub sc} = 10.31 mA/cm{sup 2} and V{sub oc} of 550 mV) (100 mW/cm{sup 2}). The J{sub sc}, V{sub oc}, and η values along with Incident photon to current conversion efficiency (IPCE) value of ternary photoelectrode-based solar devices, is almost double to that of either binary TiO{sub 2} NPs-CdS QDs or binary TiO{sub 2} NPs-N719 binary systems.
- OSTI ID:
- 22804980
- Journal Information:
- Materials Characterization, Vol. 139; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2017 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1044-5803
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ABSORPTION
CADMIUM SULFIDES
FIELD EMISSION
FOURIER TRANSFORMATION
HETEROJUNCTIONS
INFRARED SPECTRA
NANOPARTICLES
PHOTOANODES
QUANTUM DOTS
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SOL-GEL PROCESS
SURFACES
SYNTHESIS
THIN FILMS
TITANIUM OXIDES
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
X-RAY DIFFRACTION