Skip to main content
Log in

Electron diffusion in trap-contained 3D porous nanostructure: simulation and experimental investigation

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Nanoparticle Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Electron transport in the porous nano-structured media was investigated experimentally, and the results were examined by a random walk simulation. TiO2 nano-particles with an average diameter of about 150 nm ware prepared by sol–gel approach and spin coated on the glass substrate. Effects of porosity on the diffusion coefficient of the prepared nano-porous TiO2 were investigated by Hall measurement. Geometrically disordered nanoparticle was generated and utilized for simulations. Dependency of the diffusion coefficient on the network porosity was completely studied by assuming that the traps are placed mainly on the surface of the nanoparticles. It was shown in this study that the diffusion coefficient decreases by increasing the porosity. In this study, fabrication process was step by step simulated for the first time to compare the experimental achievements and the results of the simulation. Such comparison confirms the surface distribution of the traps in porous materials.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ansari-Rad M, Abdi Y, Arzi E (2012a) Simulation of non-linear recombination of charge carriers in sensitized nanocrystalline solar cells. J Appl Phys 112:074319

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ansari-Rad M, Abdi Y, Arzi E (2012b) Monte Carlo random walk simulation of electron transport in dye-sensitized nanocrystalline solar cells: influence of morphology and trap distribution. J Phys Chem C 116:3212–3218

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anta JA, Morales-Florez V (2008) Combined effect of energetic and spatial disorder on the trap-limited electron diffusion coefficient of metal-oxide nanostructures. J Phys Chem C 112:10287–10293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anta JA, Mora-Sero I, Dittrich T, Bisquert J (2008) Interpretation of diffusion coefficients in nanostructured materials from random walk numerical simulation. Phys Chem Chem Phys 10:4478–4485

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benkstein KD, Kopidakis N, van de Lagemaat J, Frank AJ (2003) Influence of the percolation network geometry on electron transport in dye-sensitized titanium dioxide solar cells. J Phys Chem B 107:7759–7767

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bisquert J, Vikhrenko VS (2004) Interpretation of the time constants measured by kinetic techniques in nanostructured semiconductor electrodes and dye-sensitized solar cells. J Phys Chem B 108:2313–2322

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dittrich T, Ofir A, Tirosh S, Grinis L, Zaban A (2006) Influence of the porosity on diffusion and lifetime in porous TiO2 layers. Appl Phys Lett 88:182110

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eden M (1960) A two-dimensional growth process. In: Proc. fourth berkeley symposium on mathematics, statistics and probability Berkeley, Univ Calif Press 4:223–239

  • Emslie AG, Bonner FT, Peck LG (1958) Flow of a viscous liquid on a rotating disk. J Appl Phys 29:858–862

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frank AJ, Kopidakis N, van de Lagemaat J (2004) Electrons in nanostructured TiO2 solar cells: transport, recombination and photovoltaic properties. Coord Chem Rev 248:1165–1179

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gregg BA (2003) Excitonic solar cells. J Phys Chem B 107:4688–4698

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hagfeldt A, Boschloo G, Sun L, Kloo L, Pettersson H (2010) Dye-sensitized solar cells. Chem Rev 110:6595–6663

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kopidakis N, Benkstein KD, van de Lagemaat J, Frank AJ (2006) Temperature dependence of the electron diffusion coefficient in electrolyte-filled TiO2 nanoparticle films: evidence against multiple trapping in exponential conduction-band tails. Phys Rev B 73:045326–045433

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson J (1999) Continuous-time random-walk model of electron transport in nanocrystalline TiO2 electrodes. Phys Rev B 59:15374–15380

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson J, Chandler RE (2004) Random walk models of charge transfer and transport in dye-sensitized systems. Coord Chem Rev 248:1181–1194

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Regan B, Gratzel M (1991) A low-cost, high-efficiency solar cell based on dye sensitized colloidal TiO2 films. Nature 353:737–740

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ofir A, Dor S, Grinis L, Zaban A, Dittrich T, Bisquert J (2008) Porosity dependence of electron percolation in nanoporous TiO2 layers. J Chem Phys 128:064703

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peter LM (2007) Dye-sensitized nanocrystalline solar cells. Phys Chem Chem Phys 9:2630–2642

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soga T (2006) Nanostructured materials for solar energy conversion. Elsevier, Amsterdam, p 12

    Google Scholar 

  • Solbrand A, Lindstrom H, Hagfeldt A, Lindquist SE, Sodergren S (1997) Electron Transport in the Nanostructured TiO2—electrolyte system studied with time-resolved photocurrents. J Phys Chem B 101:2514–2518

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van de Lagemaat J, Frank AJ (2001) Nonthermalized electron transport in dye-sensitized nanocrystalline TiO2 Films: transient photocurrent and random-walk modeling studies. J Phys Chem B 105:11194–11205

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van de Lagemaat J, Park NG, Frank AJ (2000) Influence of electrical potential distribution, charge transport, and recombination on the photopotential and photocurrent conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized nanocrystalline TiO2 solar cells: a study by electrical impedance and optical modulation techniques. J Phys Chem B 104:2044–2052

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang M, Chen P, Humphry-Baker R, Zakeeruddin SM, Gratzel M (2009) The influence of charge transport and recombination on the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells. Chem Phys Chem 10:290–299

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wurfel P (2005) Physics of solar cells: from principles to new concepts. Wiley, Weinheim

    Book  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the partial financial support of university of Tehran for this research under grant number 3/1/27746.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Y. Abdi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Abdi, N., Abdi, Y., Nedaaee Oskoee, E. et al. Electron diffusion in trap-contained 3D porous nanostructure: simulation and experimental investigation. J Nanopart Res 16, 2308 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-014-2308-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-014-2308-3

Keywords

Navigation