Improving charge injection and charge transport in CuO-based p-type DSSCs – a quick and simple precipitation method for small CuO nanoparticles

• Published in: Journal of materials chemistry. C, Materials for optical and electronic devices Materials for optical and electronic devices, 2018, Vol.6 (19), p.5176-5180
• Main Authors: Langmar, Oliver, Ganivet, Carolina R., Schol, Peter, Scharl, Tobias, de la Torre, Gema, Torres, Tomás, Costa, Rubén D., Guldi, Dirk M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Charge injection; Charge transport; Circuits; Coprecipitation; Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy; Nanoparticles; Photocathodes; Photoelectric effect; Photoelectric emission; Short circuits; Spectrum analysis
• ISSN: 2050-7526; 2050-7534
• DOI: 10.1039/C8TC00769A

Herein, we introduce a co-precipitation synthesis of CuO, which produces small and uniform nanoparticles (∼12 nm) with a specific surface area of 97.3 m 2 g −1 . The resulting CuO nanoparticles are superior to the commercial ones, which have previously been used to prepare p-type DSSCs. In turn, we compared p-type DSSCs consisting of CuO-based photocathodes based on newly synthesized and commercial nanoparticles. Devices based on new CuO nanoparticles enable higher dye loadings, and, in turn, superior short-circuit current densities and efficiencies. To corroborate our findings, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and intensity modulated photocurrent spectroscopy assays were conducted, revealing a better charge injection and faster charge transport for those photocathodes featuring the new CuO nanoparticles.