Chemical Assembly of Zinc Oxide Aggregated Anodes on Plastic Substrates at Room Temperature for Flexible Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells. (10th January 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lin, Shou-Yen; Wu, Jih-Jen
• Is Part Of: Electrochimica acta. Volume 152(2015)
• Page Start: 61
• Page End: 67
• Publication Date: 2015-01-10
• Subjects: Room-Temperature Chemical Bath Deposition -- Hierarchical Zinc Oxide Nanostructures -- Plastic Substrates -- Flexible Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells -- Electron Collection; Electrochemistry -- Periodicals; Electrochemistry, Industrial -- Periodicals; 541.37
• DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2014.11.108
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0013-4686

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Highlights: The ZnO aggregates are chemically assembled on the ITO-PET substrate by the room-temperature chemical treatment of the drop-cast ZnO nanoparticle layer on the substrate. The enhanced light scattering ability and superior electron transport property are measured in the ZnO aggregated anode. A notable efficiency of 5.16% is achieved in the flexible dye-sensitized solar cell using the ZnO aggregated anode with a light scattering layer. Good flexibility of the ZnO nanostructured anodes fabricated free of high-temperature treatment and mechanical compression is demonstrated. Abstract: A notable efficiency of 5.16% is achieved in the flexible dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) using a ZnO aggregated anode with a light scattering layer facilely fabricated on the indium tin oxide (ITO) coated-polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate. The ZnO aggregates composed of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) and room-temperature (RT) grown nanostructures are chemically assembled on the ITO-PET substrate by the RT chemical treatment of the drop-cast ZnO NP layer on the substrate. The enhanced light scattering ability and superior electron transport property are measured in the ZnO aggregated matrix anode. A ZnO particle layer is further drop-cast on the ZnO aggregated matrix anode followed by another RT chemical treatment to form the light scattering layer. Dynamics of electron transport and recombination measurements indicate that an efficient electron collection is performed in the flexible ZnO anode fabricated free of high-temperature treatment and mechanical compression. Moreover, efficient photovoltaic performances are also monitored in both concave-downward and concave-upward bending configurations of the ZnO DSSCs, demonstrating the good flexibility of the ZnO nanostructured anodes.