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Spray-deposited NiO x films on ITO substrates as photoactive electrodes for p-type dye-sensitized solar cells

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Abstract

Spray deposition followed by sintering of nickel oxide (NiO x ) nanoparticles (average diameter: 40 nm) has been chosen as method of deposition of mesoporous NiO x coatings onto indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates. This procedure allows the scalable preparation of NiO x samples with large surface area (~103 times the geometrical area) and its potential for applications such as electrocatalysis or electrochemical solar energy conversion, which require high electroactivity in confined systems. The potential of these NiO x films as semiconducting cathodes for dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) purposes has been evaluated for 0.3–3-μm-thick films of NiO x sensitized with erythrosine B (ERY). The electrochemical processes involving the NiO x coatings in the pristine and sensitized states were examined and indicated surface confinement as demonstrated by the linear dependence of the current densities with the scan rate of the cyclic voltammetry. Cathodic polarization of NiO x on ITO can also lead to the irreversible reduction of the underlying ITO substrate because of the mesoporous nature of the sintered NiO x film that allows the shunting of ITO to the electrolyte. ITO-based reduction processes alter irreversibly the properties of charge transfer through the ITO/NiOx interface and limit the range of potential to NiO x coatings sintered for DSC purposes.

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Acknowledgments

This article is based on studies supported by the Science Foundation Ireland for the Solar Energy Conversion Strategic Research Cluster under Grant No. [07/SRC/B1160]. The authors acknowledge the assistance and support of industry partner, Celtic Catalysts Ltd.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Solar Energy Conversion Strategic Research Cluster, Dublin, Ireland

    Muhammad Awais, Denis D. Dowling, Mahfujur Rahman, Johannes G. Vos & Danilo Dini

  2. School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Denis D. Dowling

  3. School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Mahfujur Rahman

  4. School of Chemical Sciences, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland

    Johannes G. Vos

  5. Department of Chemistry, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy

    Franco Decker & Danilo Dini

  6. Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Biomedical Materials (IRCBM), COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT), Defence Road, Off Raiwind Road, Lahore, Pakistan

    Muhammad Awais

Authors
  1. Muhammad Awais
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  2. Denis D. Dowling
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  3. Mahfujur Rahman
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  4. Johannes G. Vos
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  5. Franco Decker
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  6. Danilo Dini
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Correspondence to Danilo Dini.

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Awais, M., Dowling, D.D., Rahman, M. et al. Spray-deposited NiO x films on ITO substrates as photoactive electrodes for p-type dye-sensitized solar cells. J Appl Electrochem 43, 191–197 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-012-0506-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-012-0506-1

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