Structural, Morphological, Photovoltaic and Electron Transport Properties of ZnO Based DSSC with Different Concentrations of MWCNTs

Abstract:

This study highlights the structural, morphological, photovoltaic and electron transport properties of zinc oxide-multi-walled carbon nanotubes (ZnO-MWCNTs) based dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) prepared at different concentrations of 0.0, 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5 wt.%. The ZnO-MWCNTs thin films were prepared by a chemical bath deposition method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis proved the formation of hexagonal wurtzite of the samples. The crystallite sizes, D of ZnO-MWCNTs was measured varies from 21 nm to 11 nm. The oat-like ZnO nanoflakes structure and the presence of MWCNTs were captured by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analysis. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis measured the inner (~6.81 nm) and outer (~28.31 nm) diameter of MWCNTs. The optimum concentration of 0.1 wt.% MWCNTs produced the highest photocurrent density, J_sc of 13.5 mA/cm², open-circuit voltage, V_oc of 0.149 V, fill factor, FF of 0.406 and power conversion efficiency, PCE of 0.817 %. Optimum doping of 0.1 wt.% MWCNTs generated short electron lifetime, τ_eff of 0.67 ms, low effective electron chemical diffusion coefficient, D_eff of 9.5 x 10^-8 cm² s^-1 and higher electron recombination rate, k_eff of 1497.48 s^-1. The addition of MWCNTs has influenced the structural, morphological, photovoltaic and electron transport properties of ZnO-MWCNTs based DSSC.

• Periodical: Materials Science Forum (Volume 846)
• Pages: 283-291
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.846.283
• Online since: March 2016
• Authors: Savisha Mahalingam, Huda Abdullah, Mohd Zikri Razali, Mohd Ambar Yarmo, Sahbudin Shaari, Azimah Omar
• Keywords: Dye Sensitized Solar Cell, Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNT), Photovoltaic, Zinc Oxide (ZnO)

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