A [101&cmb.macr;0] oriented hybrid 3D ZnO nanowall architecture with enhanced dye-sensitized solar cell performance

• Published in: Sustainable energy & fuels 2020-02, Vol.4 (2), p.863-868
• Main Author: Islavath, Nanaji
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Architecture; Charge transport; Configuration management; Crystal structure; Crystallography; Dye-sensitized solar cells; Dyes; Electron transport; Energy conversion efficiency; Glass substrates; Low temperature; Metal oxides; Morphology; Nanomaterials; Nanotechnology; Nanowires; Optoelectronic devices; Orientation; Photoelectric effect; Photoelectric emission; Photovoltaic cells; Single crystals; Solar cells; Surface area; Transmission electron microscopy; Wurtzite; Zinc oxide
• ISSN: 2398-4902; 2398-4902
• DOI: 10.1039/c9se00340a

Orientation and morphology of metal-oxide nanomaterials have a major impact on their properties and applications. Here, we developed a hybrid 3D ZnO nanowall (NWL) architecture on a FTO glass substrate via a low-temperature solution process. The as grown hybrid 3D ZnO NWL architecture is a perfect single crystal with a wurtzite structure, and its orientation along the [101&cmb.macr;0] direction is confirmed using transmission electron microscopy. Such an architecture has a unique combination of a high surface-area with cage-like pores, which was applied as an electron transporting material (ETM) in porphyrin-based dye-sensitized solar cells. These devices exhibited a maximum photocurrent density of 11.86 mA cm −2 , a power conversion efficiency of 4.08%, which was higher than those of pristine ZnO nanowall (2.76%) and nanowire (1.92%) devices; due to their surface area and orientation. Their orientation and surface area led to a faster charge transport rate than those of the ZnO mesoporous films and the [0001] oriented ZnO nanostructure. The unique crystallographic orientation of the 3D ZnO NWL architecture opens up a novel configuration for designing high-performance optoelectronic devices and expands their application fields. [101&cmb.macr;0] oriented ZnO nanostructure was grown via low-temperature solution process; applied as ETL in DSSCs and device achieved almost 4-times higher PCE than the NW/NWLs. It is a new record efficiency of 4.08% in aligned nanostructure-based solar cells.