Effect of NiO photocathode film thickness on the performance of quantum dot sensitized solar cells

  • WANG Senyang ,
  • ZHANG Zhaoyou ,
  • SUN Jie ,
  • LIANG Chengyang ,
  • CAO Ying ,
  • GENG Shitong ,
  • LI Ling
Expand
  • Hebei Key Lab of Optic-electronic Information and Materials, Hebei Provincial Photovoltaic Technology Collaborative Innovation Center, College of Physics Science and Technology, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China

Received date: 2023-02-18

  Online published: 2023-10-25

Abstract

This work is to explore the best preparation conditions of photoanode film materials in quantum dot sensitized solar cells(QDSSCs). P-type NiO nanoparticles are synthetized by one-step high temperature hydrothermal method, which is then screen printed on conductive glass to form NiO films. NiO films can be used as photocathode for quantum dot sensitized solar cells. Combine with Cu2S counter electrode, solar cells are assembled. NiO photocathode films with different film thicknesses were studied and tested repeatedly. The results show that the highest photoelectric conversion efficiency is achieved when the film thickness of NiO film material is 21 μm.

Cite this article

WANG Senyang , ZHANG Zhaoyou , SUN Jie , LIANG Chengyang , CAO Ying , GENG Shitong , LI Ling . Effect of NiO photocathode film thickness on the performance of quantum dot sensitized solar cells[J]. Journal of Hebei University(Natural Science Edition), 2023 , 43(5) : 492 -499 . DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1000-1565.2023.05.007

References

[1] JUN H K, TUNG H T. A short overview on recent progress in semiconductor quantum dot-sensitized solar cells[J]. J Nanomater, 2022, 2022: 1-7. DOI: 10.1155/2022/1382580.
[2] SAHU A, GARG A, DIXIT A. A review on quantum dot sensitized solar cells: past, present and future towards carrier multiplication with a possibility for higher efficiency[J]. Sol Energy, 2020, 203: 210-239. DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2020.04.044.
[3] RASAL A S, YADAV S, KASHALE A A, et al. Stability of quantum dot-sensitized solar cells: a review and prospects[J]. Nano Energy, 2022, 94: 106854. DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2021.106854.
[4] SHEN K, LUO G, LIU J, et al. Highly transparent photoelectrochromic device based on carbon quantum dots sensitized photoanode[J]. Sol Energy Mat Sol C, 2019, 193: 372-378. DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2019.01.004.
[5] GANGADHAR L, PRASEETHA P K. A novel modeling of quantum dot sensitized solar cells[J]. J Comput Theor Nanosci, 2019, 16(2): 389-392. DOI: 10.1166/jctn.2019.7737.
[6] DU Z L, ARTEMYEV M, WANG J, et al. Performance improvement strategies for quantum dot-sensitized solar cells: a review[J]. J Mater Chem A, 2019, 7(6): 2464-2489. DOI: 10.1039/C8TA11483H.
[7] SINGH S, KHAN Z H, KHAN M B, et al. Quantum dots-sensitized solar cells: a review on strategic developments[J].B Mater Sci, 2022, 45(2): 1-13. DOI: 10.1007/s12034-022-02662-z.
[8] LI Z, YU L B, WANG H, et al. TiO2 passivation layer on ZnO hollow microspheres for quantum dots sensitized solar cells with improved light harvesting and electron collection[J]. Nanomaterials, 2020, 10(4): 631. DOI: 10.3390/nano10040631.
[9] HE J J, LINDSTR M H, HAGFELDT A, et al. Dye-sensitized nanostructured p-type nickel oxide film as a photocathode for a solar cell[J]. J Phys Chem B, 1999, 103(42): 8940-8943. DOI: 10.1021/jp991681r.
[10] ALVARADO-ARAMBURO A, GONZALEZ-ORTIZ L J, GARCIA-BON M A, et al. The recent use of nanoporous materials in the development of third-generation solar cells: a review[J]. IEEE Nanotechnol Mag, 2021, 15(2): 37-48. DOI: 10.1109/MNANO.2020.3048092.
[11] BONOMO M, EKOI E J, MARRANI A G, et al. NiO/ZrO2 nanocomposites as photocathodes of tandem DSCs with higher photoconversion efficiency with respect to parent single-photoelectrode p-DSCs[J]. Sustain Energy Fuels, 2021, 5(18): 4736-4748. DOI: 10.1039/D1SE00566A.
[12] PAN Z X, YUE L, RAO H S, et al. Boosting the performance of environmentally friendly quantum dot-sensitized solar cells over 13% efficiency by dual sensitizers with cascade energy structure[J]. Adv Mater, 2019, 31(49): 1903696. DOI: 10.1002/adma.201903696.
[13] POTTS N T Z, SLOBODA T, W CHTLER M, et al. Probing the dye-semiconductor interface in dye-sensitized NiO solar cells[J]. J Chem Phys, 2020, 153(18): 184704. DOI: 10.1063/5.0023000.
[14] GELETA T A, IMAE T. Nanocomposite photoanodes consisting of p-NiO/n-ZnO heterojunction and carbon quantum dot additive for dye-sensitized solar cells[J]. ACS Appl Nano Mater, 2021, 4(1): 236-249. DOI: 10.1021/acsanm.0c02547.
[15] SULTAN U, AHMADLOO F, CHA G, et al. A high-field anodic NiO nanosponge with tunable thickness for application in p-type dye-sensitized solar cells[J]. ACS Appl Energy Mater, 2020, 3(8): 7865-7872. DOI: 10.1021/acsaem.0c01249.
[16] QU J, ZHANG K, GAMAL H, et al. Triple-shell NiO hollow sphere for p-type dye-sensitized solar cell with superior light harvesting[J]. Sol Energy, 2021, 216: 238-244. DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2021.01.026.
[17] NATTESTAD A, MOZER A J, FISCHER M K R, et al. Highly efficient photocathodes for dye-sensitized tandem solar cells[J]. Nat Mater, 2010, 9(1): 31-35. DOI: 10.1038/nmat2588.
[18] TIAN H N, XU B, CHEN H, et al. Solid-state perovskite-sensitized p-type mesoporous nickel oxide solar cells[J]. Chem Sus Chem, 2014, 7(8): 2150-2153. DOI: 10.1002/cssc.201402032.
[19] BENAZZI E, MALLOWS J, SUMMERS G H, et al. Developing photocathode materials for p-type dye-sensitized solar cells[J]. J Mater Chem C, 2019, 7(34): 10409-10445. DOI: 10.1039/C9TC01822K.
[20] BONOMO M, DI GIROLAMO D, PICCINNI M, et al. Electrochemically deposited NiO films as a blocking layer in p-type dye-sensitized solar cells with an impressive 45% fill factor[J]. Nanomaterials, 2020, 10(1): 167. DOI: 10.3390/nano10010167.
[21] XU B, TIAN L, ETMAN A S, et al. Solution-processed nanoporous NiO-dye-ZnO photocathodes: toward efficient and stable solid-state p-type dye-sensitized solar cells and dye-sensitized photoelectrosynthesis cells[J]. Nano Energy, 2019, 55: 59-64. DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2018.10.054.
[22] DAENEKE T, YU Z, LEE G P, et al. Dominating energy losses in NiO p-type dye-sensitized solar cells[J]. Adv Energy Mater, 2015, 5(4): 1401387. DOI: 10.1002/aenm.201401387.
[23] MACDONALD T J, MANGE Y J, DEWI M R, et al. CuInS2/ZnS nanocrystals as sensitisers for NiO photocathodes[J]. J Mater Chem A, 2015, 3(25): 13324-13331. DOI: 10.1039/C5TA01821H.
[24] RAISSI M, PELLEGRIN Y, JOBIC S, et al. Infra-red photoresponse of mesoscopic NiO-based solar cells sensitized with PbS quantum dot[J]. Sci Rep, 2016, 6: 24908. DOI: 10.1038/srep24908.
[25] LIU S, LIU L, DU Q Z, et al. Preparation of PbS/NiO composite photocathode and their applications in quantum dot sensitized solar cells[J]. J New Mater Electr Sys, 2020, 23(1): 7-12. DOI: 10.14447/jnmes.v23i1.a02. (
Outlines

/

〈 〉