Ferroelectric barium titanate microspheres with superior light-scattering ability for the performance enhancements of flexible polymer dye sensitized solar cells and photodetectors. (August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gireesh Baiju, K.; Murali, B.; Kumaresan, Duraisamy
• Is Part Of: Solar energy. Volume 224(2021)
• Page Start: 93
• Page End: 101
• Publication Date: 2021-08
• Subjects: Barium titanate microspheres -- Nanocomposite -- Dye sensitized solar cell -- Photodetector -- Ferroelectric polarization -- Flexible electronics; Solar energy -- Periodicals; Solar engines -- Periodicals; 621.47
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2021.05.063
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0038-092X

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Highlights: Hydrothermal synthesis of BaTiO3 (BT) microspheres containing nanorods are reported. Strain-induced ferroelectric polarization exists in the nanorods of BT microspheres. BT microspheres with nanorods have exhibited superior light scattering ability. Plastic DSSCs have showed improved device performance while using BT microspheres. Abstract: In this study, barium titanate microspheres (BTMS) comprising 10 to 20 nm thick one-dimensional (1D) nanorods have been synthesized via a dual-stage hydrothermal process and used as photoelectrode material for the fabrications of high-performance flexible dye sensitized solar cells (FDSSCs) and photodetectors. Crystal structure and morphological analyses have indicated a rutile phase TiO2 microspheres (RTMS) intermediate is transformed as tetragonal BTMS during the hydrothermal process. Because of the superior light-scattering ability and reduced charge recombination at the BTMS/TiO2 nanoparticles film/electrolyte interface by the ferroelectric dipoles of BaTiO3, BTMS/TiO2 nanocomposite based FDSSC photoanode has demonstrated ~1.7-fold higher power conversion efficiency (PCE = 4.53%) than the pure anatase TiO2 nanoparticles based FDSSC photoanode (PCE = 2.66%). A high dielectric permittivity (ɛr = 3114 at 25 °C) and tangent loss (ɛ˝) obtained for the BTMS at low AC frequencies have confirmed their superior dielectric and ferroelectric characteristics over RTMS (ɛr = 888 at 25 °C), created by the strain induced ferroelectric polarization of 1D BaTiO3 nanorods. Similarly, the BTMS coated PET based flexible photodetector has produced quantum efficiency (QE) of 1.1% with an excellent photoresponse, which further indicated the ferroelectric polarization aided photocurrent generation in the BTMS based photoactive materials.