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Influence of ZnO growth temperature on the performance of dye-sensitized solar cell utilizing TiO2-ZnO composite film photoanode

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Abstract

TiO2 nanoflower (NF)-ZnO composite films were synthesized by using liquid phase deposition (LPD) and dip coating method. At the lower growth temperature below 50 °C, the morphology of the sample is nanoflower, while at the temperature above 50 °C, the morphological shape of nanoparticle was obtained. The diameter of ZnO nanoparticle decreases 21.0% with the growth temperature. The thickness of the sample increases with growth temperature until the optimum temperature of 50 °C. The absorption of the uncoated dye samples is about the same. The decrease percentage of absorption for the coated dye samples is 15.0%. The dye-sensitized solar cell utilizing the TiO2-ZnO composite synthesized at 30 °C demonstrated the highest photovoltaic performance with η = 0.63 ± 0.02%, J sc = 1.91 ± 0.05 mA cm−2, and V oc = 0.64 ± 0.02 V due to the highest optical absorption, lowest leak current, highest dye loading, smallest bulk resistance (R s), highest recombination resistance (R cr), and longest charge carrier lifetime (τ).

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge Ministry of Education Malaysia, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation Malaysia, and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia for the financial support under the research grant of FRGS/2/2013/SG02/UKM/02/5, 03-01-02-SF0836, DLP-2015-003, and GUP-2016-013, respectively. The authors also are grateful to the Centre for Research and Innovation Management (CRIM) UKM for providing the FESEM and EDX facility.

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  1. Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics (IMEN), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

    S. A. M. Samsuri, M. Y. A. Rahman, A. A. Umar & M. M. Salleh

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  1. S. A. M. Samsuri
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  2. M. Y. A. Rahman
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  3. A. A. Umar
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  4. M. M. Salleh
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Correspondence to M. Y. A. Rahman or A. A. Umar.

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Samsuri, S.A.M., Rahman, M.Y.A., Umar, A.A. et al. Influence of ZnO growth temperature on the performance of dye-sensitized solar cell utilizing TiO2-ZnO composite film photoanode. Ionics 23, 3533–3544 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11581-017-2139-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11581-017-2139-1

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