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Pt/Y2O3:Eu3+ composite nanotubes: Enhanced photoluminescence and application in dye-sensitized solar cells

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Abstract

Y(OH)3:Eu3+ nanotubes were synthesized using a facile hydrothermal method, and then, Pt particles were grown on the surface of the nanotubes using a combination of vacuum extraction and annealing. The resulting Pt/Y2O3:Eu3+ composite nanotubes not only exhibited enhanced red luminescence under 255- or 468-nm excitation but could also be used to improve the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells, resulting in an efficiency of 8.33%, which represents a significant enhancement of 11.96% compared with a solar cell without the composite nanotubes. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results indicated that the interfacial resistance of the TiO2–dye|I –3 /I– electrolyte interface of the TiO2–Pt/Y2O3:Eu3+ composite cell was much smaller than that of a pure TiO2 cell. In addition, the TiO2–Pt/Y2O3:Eu3+ composite cell exhibited a shorter electron transport time and longer electron recombination time than the pure TiO2 cell.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Functional Inorganic Material Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, 150080, China

    Mingqi Yu, Jiamin Su & Guofeng Wang

  2. Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China

    Yadong Li

Authors
  1. Mingqi Yu
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  2. Jiamin Su
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  3. Guofeng Wang
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  4. Yadong Li
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Correspondence to Guofeng Wang.

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Yu, M., Su, J., Wang, G. et al. Pt/Y2O3:Eu3+ composite nanotubes: Enhanced photoluminescence and application in dye-sensitized solar cells. Nano Res. 9, 2338–2346 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-016-1120-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-016-1120-z

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