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Structural and morphological studies of zinc oxide incorporating single-walled carbon nanotubes as a nanocomposite thin film

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Abstract

Pure zinc-oxide and a composition of zinc oxide-single walled carbon nanotubes (ZnO-SWCNTs) thin films were prepared by using a sol–gel doctor blade technique. A precursor of zinc acetate dehydrate (Zn(CH3COO)2·2H2O), absolute ethanol (C2H5OH) and triethanolamine were mixed in one solution. Non-acid treatment SWCNTs were doped in the prepared solution. Structural and morphological properties of ZnO and ZnO-SWCNTs thin films were studied by means of X-ray diffractometer (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). XRD measurements indicated that the crystallite size of ZnO was bigger than the crystallite size of ZnO-SWCNTs; 0.4331 and 0.3386 nm, respectively. The FESEM images showed the hexagonal and nanorod structures of ZnO thin film and a broccoli-like ZnO nanostructures coated with CNTs for ZnO-SWCNTs thin film. The AFM analysis revealed smoother surface morphology of ZnO-SWCNTs thin film compared to the surface of pure ZnO thin film. TEM results captured the inner structures of ZnO and ZnO-SWCNTs. Inner and outer diameter of non-acid treatment SWCNTs were recorded about 5.09 and 14.95 nm, respectively. Photovoltaic performance of ZnO-SWCNTs based dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) showed high power conversion efficiency of 0.102 % compared to ZnO based DSSC (0.019 %). This study suggests that SWCNTs should be acid-treated to produce highly porous structure and greater surface area for better photovoltaic performance of the DSSCs.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Project No.: UKM-DLP-2011-056 and Photonic Technology Laboratory (IMEN), Department of Electrical, Electronic & Systems Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical, Electronics and System Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

    Huda Abdullah & Azimah Omar

  2. School of Chemical Science & Food Technology, Faculty of Science & Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, 43600, Malaysia

    Mohd Ambar Yarmo

  3. Photonic Technology Laboratory, Department of Electrical, Electronic & System Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, 43600, Malaysia

    Sahbudin Shaari

  4. Department of Civil & Structural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, 43600, Malaysia

    Mohd Raihan Taha

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  1. Huda Abdullah
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  2. Azimah Omar
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  3. Mohd Ambar Yarmo
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  4. Sahbudin Shaari
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Correspondence to Huda Abdullah.

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Abdullah, H., Omar, A., Yarmo, M.A. et al. Structural and morphological studies of zinc oxide incorporating single-walled carbon nanotubes as a nanocomposite thin film. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 24, 3603–3610 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-013-1291-2

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