Sea urchin TiO2-nanoparticle hybrid composite photoelectrodes for CdS/CdSe/ZnS quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells

Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2012 Apr 7;14(13):4620-5. doi: 10.1039/c2cp24106d. Epub 2012 Feb 24.

Abstract

The sea urchin TiO(2) (SU TiO(2)) particles composed of radially aligned rutile TiO(2) nanowires are successfully synthesized through the simple solvothermal process. SU TiO(2) was incorporated into the TiO(2) nanoparticle (NP) network to construct the SU-NP composite film, and applied to the CdS/CdSe/ZnS quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs). A conversion efficiency of 4.2% was achieved with a short-circuit photocurrent density of 18.2 mA cm(-2) and an open-circuit voltage of 531 mV, which corresponds to ∼20% improvement as compared with the values obtained from the reference cell made of the NP film. We attribute this extraordinary result to the light scattering effect and efficient charge collection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cadmium Compounds / chemistry*
  • Electric Power Supplies
  • Electrodes
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Photochemistry
  • Quantum Dots*
  • Sea Urchins
  • Selenium Compounds / chemistry*
  • Solar Energy
  • Sulfides / chemistry*
  • Titanium / chemistry*
  • Zinc Compounds / chemistry*

Substances

  • Cadmium Compounds
  • Selenium Compounds
  • Sulfides
  • Zinc Compounds
  • cadmium sulfide
  • titanium dioxide
  • cadmium selenide
  • Titanium
  • zinc sulfide