Effect of hexamethylenetetramine on the properties of electrodeposited ZnO thin films for dye sensitized solar cell applications

• Published in: Journal of materials science. Materials in electronics 2018-08, Vol.29 (15), p.12830-12841
• Main Authors: Marimuthu, T., Anandhan, N., Thangamuthu, R., Surya, S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Crystal defects; Dye-sensitized solar cells; Dyes; Fluorine; Hexamethylenetetramine; Materials Science; Nanorods; Nanowires; Optical and Electronic Materials; Optical properties; Photovoltaic cells; Substrates; Synthesis; Thin films; Tin oxides; Zinc oxide; Zinc oxides
• ISSN: 0957-4522; 1573-482X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10854-018-9402-8

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were obtained on fluorine doped tin oxide substrates by pyrolyzing the electrodeposited zinc hydroxide chloride thin films. The effect of hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) concentrations on the structural, morphological, vibrational and optical properties was investigated. The ZnO growth orientation is changed from (101) to (002) plane as the HMTA concentrations get increased from 0 to 9 mM. The well-defined hexagonal nanorods and nanowires structures are observed for ZnO thin films deposited in the absence and presence of HMTA. The increase in intensity of E 2 (high) vibrational mode, near band edge emission and UV absorbance confirms the ZnO nanowires synthesized in the solution containing 9 mM HMTA having better crystallinity, lesser atomic defects and higher dye loading, respectively. The efficiency of dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on nanorods and nanowires synthesized in the solutions containing 0 and 9 mM HMTA is 0.36 and 1.02%, respectively. The DSSC based on nanowires photoanode has a higher R rec , τ n , σ n and L n than another DSSC.