Papers by Keyword: P-Type Semiconductors

Abstract: Stable electronic configuration between the interface of an n-type oxide semiconductor core and a p-type polymer shell is necessary in order to guarantee a consistent functioning core-shell structure. This research aims to use silane-aniline to link between an n-type Titanium (IV) oxide (TiO₂) core and p-type polyaniline emeraldine salt (PANI-ES) shell. Core-shell structure was created by functionalizing TiO₂ powders with silane aniline molecules using simple soaking technique and then polymerizing the attached aniline molecules using an oxidative technique. Infrared spectroscopy reveals the presence of Si-O bonds signifying the presence of linkage between the inorganic core and polymeric shell. Polymerization of the attached aniline molecules may have led to coupling of aromatic rings to form long polymeric structures which caused widening and shifting of aromatic rings’ IR peak to lower wavenumber. In conclusion, silane-aniline was successfully utilized to connect the n-type TiO₂ core and p-type PANI-ES shell.

Abstract: Nanostructured NiO thick films were fabricated for use in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) as photocathodes. Pastes were prepared by using nanocrystalline NiO powders, polyethylene glycol (PEG) and water. The pastes were then printed on FTO glass substrates by a facile doctor-blade printing method. The NiO films were obtained by heating at 500 °C for 30 min in flowing oxygen. It was shown that the nanostructure of the resultant films was largely dependent on the amount of PEG in the pastes. Coumarin 343 (C343) dye was employed for sensitizing p-type NiO photocathodes. DSCs using our NiO/C343 photocathodes yielded a photocurrent density of 1.26 mA cm–2, an open-circuit photovoltage of 88 mV, a fill factor of 0.33, and a solar energy conversion efficiency of 0.037 %.