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Fabrication and performance of dye sensitized solar cell based on spin coated ZnS nanoparticles

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Abstract

ZnSx nanoparticles (NPs) with different ratios of sulfur, x = 0.5, 1 and 2, were prepared by solvothermal technique. The structural analyses, based on XRD and FTIR, show that for sulfur content x = 0.5 two phases were formed ZnS and ZnO NPs with cubic and hexagonal structure, respectively. While for sulfur content x = 1 and 2 only ZnS NPs with cubic structure was observed. The crystallites size was study before and after annealing at 500 °C. SEM images show that the prepared samples have nanocrystalline nature. Absorbance spectrum was used to calculate the optical band gap of the powder samples dispersed in potassium hydroxide solution. All samples have direct optical band gap which was inversely proportional to the sulfur content. ZnS NPs were irradiated by different doses of γ-rays and the effect on optical band gap was studied. The resulting from solvothermal preparation technique was served as precursor solution to deposit ZnSx layers onto the fluorine-doped tin oxide coated glass substrates by spinning process. The deposited ZnS NPs layers were successfully used as photoelectrode materials in dye-sensitized solar cells and the I–V characteristics were measured under illumination and in dark. An improvement in the efficiency was observed after annealing the ZnSx layers,x = 0.5 and 1, photoelectrode materials.

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  1. Solid State Physics and Accelerators Department, National Centre for Radiation Research and Technology (NCRRT), Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA), Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt

    M. R. Balboul & A. Abdel-Galil

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  1. M. R. Balboul
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Balboul, M.R., Abdel-Galil, A. Fabrication and performance of dye sensitized solar cell based on spin coated ZnS nanoparticles. Appl. Phys. A 125, 841 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-019-3132-5

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