Synthesis and Characterization of Porous TiO₂ Thin Film Loaded with Cu₂ZnSnS₄ Nanoparticles

Abstract:

As a promising absorber layer, semiconducting Cu₂ZnSnS₄ (CZTS) can be applied to replace the organic dye in dye-sensitized solar cell for photovoltaic application because of its good stability, suitable band gap energy (~1.5eV) and large absorption coefficient (~10⁴ cm^-1). In this paper, successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method was utilized to deposit CZTS nanoparticles on mesoporous titanium dioxide (TiO₂). This solar cell with carbon film coated FTO glass slide as the back electrode showed an open circuit voltage of 380 mV. Preliminary results obtained for solar cells fabricated with this material are promising.

• Periodical: Materials Science Forum (Volume 847)
• Pages: 84-90
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.847.84
• Online since: March 2016
• Authors: Ji Fu Zhao, Shui Yuan Chen*, Gui Lin Chen, Qing Ying Ye, Bing Lin Hu, Zhi Gao Huang
• Keywords: Cu₂ZnSnS₄, Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell, SILAR Method, TiO₂ Thin Film

References

[1] Nathan S. Lewis, Toward Cost-Effective Solar Energy Use. Science 315 (2007) 798-801.

DOI: 10.1126/science.1137014

[2] Michael Grätzel, Solar Energy Conversion by Dye-Sensitized Photovoltaic Cells. Inorg. Chem. 44 (2005) 6841-6851.

DOI: 10.1021/ic0508371

[3] Zhijun Ning, Ying Fu and He Tian, Improvement of Dye-sensitized Solar Cells, Energy Environ. Sci. 3 (2010) 1170-1181.

[4] Brain. O'Regan, Michael Grätzel. A low-cost, high-efficiency solar cell based on dye-sensitized colloidal TiO2 films. Nature 353 (1991) 737-740.

DOI: 10.1038/353737a0

[5] Aswani Yella, Hsuan Wei Lee, Hoi Nok Tsao, Chenyi Yi, Aravind Kumar Chandiran, Md. Khaja Nazeeruddin, Eric Wei-Guang Diau, Chen-Yu Yeh, Shaik M Zakeeruddin, Michael Grätzel. Porphyrin-Sensitized Solar Cells with Cobalt (II/III)–Based Redox Electrolyte Exceed 12 Percent Efficiency. Science 334 (2011).

DOI: 10.1126/science.1209688

[6] Hongsik Choi, Changwoo Nahm, Jongmin Kim, Chohui Kim, Suji Kang, Taehyun Hwang, Byungwoo Park. Review paper: Toward highly efficient quantum-dot and dye-sensitized solar cells. Current Applied Physics 13 (2013) S2-S13.

DOI: 10.1016/j.cap.2013.01.023

[7] J. Britt, C. Ferekides. Thin‐film CdS/CdTe solar cell with 15. 8% efficiency. Appl. Phys. Lett. 62 (1993) 2851.

DOI: 10.1063/1.109629

[8] Yafit Itzhaik, Olivia Niitsoo, Miles Page, Gary Hodes, Sb2S3-Sensitized Nanoporous TiO2 Solar Cells. J. Phys. Chem. 113 (2009) 4254-4256.

DOI: 10.1021/jp900302b

[9] Philip Jackson, Dimitrios Hariskos, Erwin Lotter, Stefan Paetel, Roland Wuerz, Richard Menner, Wiltraud Wischmann, Michael Powalla. New world record efficiency for Cu(In, Ga)Se2 thin-film solar cells beyond 20%. Prog. Photovolt: Res. Appl. (2011).

DOI: 10.1002/pip.1078

[10] Xiangbo Song, Xu Ji, Ming Li, Weidong Lin, Xi Luo, and Hua Zhang, A Review on Development Prospect of CZTS Based Thin Film Solar Cells, International Journal of Photoenergy 2014 (2014) 11.

DOI: 10.1155/2014/613173

[11] Mark T. Winkler, Wei Wang, Oki Gunawan, Harold J. Hovel, Teodor K. Todorov and David B. Mitzi, Optical designs that improve the efficiency of Cu2ZnSn(S, Se)4 solar cells. Energy Environ Sci. (2014) 1029-1036.

DOI: 10.1039/c3ee42541j

[12] Qijie Guo, Hugh W. Hillhouse and Rakesh Agrawal, Synthesis of Cu2ZnSnS4 Nanocrystal Ink and Its Use for Solar Cells. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 131 (2009) 11672-11673.

DOI: 10.1021/ja904981r

[13] Mali Sawanta, Shinde Pravin, Betty Chirayath, Bhosale Popatrao, Patil Pramod. Synthesis and characterization of Cu2ZnSnS4 thin films by SILAR method. J. Phys. Chem. Solids. 73 (2012) 735-740.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpcs.2012.01.008

[14] Christophe J. Barbé, Francine Arendse, Pascal Comte, Marie Jirousek, Frank Lenzmann, Valery Shklover and Michael Grätzel, Nanocrystalline Titanium Oxide Electrodes for Photovoltaic Applications. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 80 (1997) 3157-3171.

DOI: 10.1111/j.1151-2916.1997.tb03245.x

[15] B Bhattacharya, S K Tomar and Jung-Ki Park. A nanoporous TiO2 electrode and new ionic liquid doped solid polymer electrolyte for dye sensitized solar cell application, Nanotechnology 18 (2007) 485711.

DOI: 10.1088/0957-4484/18/48/485711

[16] Dehong Chen, Fuzhi Huang, Yi-Bing Cheng, Rachel A. Caruso. Mesoporous Anatase TiO2 Beads with High Surface Areas and Controllable Pore Sizes: A Superior Candidate for High-Performance Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells, Advanced Materials. 21 (2009).

DOI: 10.1002/adma.200802603

[17] Xianfeng You, Feng Chen, Jinlong Zhang. Effects of Calcination on the Physical and Photocatalytic Properties of TiO2 Powders Prepared by Sol–Gel Template Method, Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology. 34 (2005) 181-187.

DOI: 10.1007/s10971-005-1358-5

[18] Mohammad K. Nazeeruddin, Peter Péchy, Thierry Renouard, Shaik M. Zakeeruddin, Robin Humphry-Baker, Pascal Comte, Paul Liska, Le Cevey, Emiliana Costa, Valery Shklover, Leone Spiccia, Glen B. Deacon, Carlo A. Bignozzi, Michael Grätzel, et al., Engineering of Efficient Panchromatic Sensitizers for Nanocrystalline TiO2-Based Solar Cells, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 123 (2001).

DOI: 10.1021/ja003299u

[19] Wenchao Liu, Binglei Guo, Cheeleung Mak, Aidong Li, Xiaoshan Wu, Fengming Zhang, Facile synthesis of ultrafine Cu2ZnSnS4 nanocrystals by hydrothermal method for use in solar cells. Thin Solid Films 535 (2013) 39-43.

DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2012.11.073

[20] Hyunwoong Seo, Min-Kyu Son, Jin-Kyoung Kim, Inyoung Shin, Kandasamy Prabakar, Hee-Je Kim. Method for fabricating the compact layer in dye-sensitized solar cells by titanium sputter deposition and acid-treatments, Solar Energy Materials & Solar Cells. 95 (2011).

DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2010.05.001

[21] André Moliton, Jean-Michel Nunzi, How to model the behaviour of organic photovoltaic cells. Polymer International 55 (2006) 583-600.

DOI: 10.1002/pi.2038

[22] R. O' Hayre, M. Nanu, J. Schoonman, A. Goossens, Q. Wang, M. Gr¨atzel, The Influence of TiO2 Particle Size in TiO2/CuInS2 Nanocomposite Solar Cells. Adv. Funct. Mater. 16 (2006) 1566-1576.

DOI: 10.1002/adfm.200500647

[23] Zhen Huanga, Xizhe Liu, Kexin Li, Dongmei Li, Yanhong Luo, Hong Li, Wenbo Song, LiQuan Chen, Qingbo Meng, Application of carbon materials as counter electrodes of dye-sensitized solar cells, Electrochemistry Communications. 9 (2007) 596-598.

DOI: 10.1016/j.elecom.2006.10.028