Controllable synthesis of single crystalline Sn-based oxides and their application in perovskite solar cells. Issue 1 (1st December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yeom, Eun Joo; Shin, Seong Sik; Yang, Woon Seok; Lee, Seon Joo; Yin, Wenping; Kim, Dasom; Noh, Jun Hong; Ahn, Tae Kyu; Seok, Sang Il
• Is Part Of: Journal of materials chemistry. Volume 5:Issue 1(2017)
• Page Start: 79
• Page End: 86
• Publication Date: 2016-12-01
• Subjects: Materials -- Research -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Analytic -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Research -- Periodicals; 543.0284
• DOI: 10.1039/c6ta08565b
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2050-7488

Abstract

Abstract : We synthesized single-crystalline Sn-based oxides for use as electron-transporting layers (ETLs) in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Abstract : We synthesized single-crystalline Sn-based oxides for use as electron-transporting layers (ETLs) in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The control of the Zn-to-Sn cation ratio (Zn/Sn = 0–2) in a fixed concentration of hydrazine solution leads to the formation of various types of Sn-based oxides, i.e., spherical SnO2 and Zn2 SnO4 nanoparticles (NPs), SnO2 nanorods, and Zn2 SnO4 nanocubes. In particular, a ratio of Zn/Sn = 1 results in nanocomposites of single-crystalline SnO2 nanorods and Zn2 SnO4 nanocubes. This is related to the concentration of free hydrazine unreacted with Zn and Sn ions in the reaction solution, because the resulting OH − concentration affects the growth rate of intermediate phases such as ZnSn(OH)6, Zn(OH)4 2− and Sn(OH)6 2− . Additionally, we propose plausible pathways for the formation of Sn-based oxides in hydrazine solution. The Sn-based oxides are applied as ETLs and annealed at a low temperature below 150 °C in PSCs. The PSCs fabricated by using the nanocomposite ETLs consisting of single-crystalline SnO2 nanorods and Zn2 SnO4 nanocubes exhibit superior device performance to TiO2 -based PSCs due to their excellent charge collection ability and optical properties, achieving a power conversion efficiency of ≥17%.