Skip to main content
Log in

Effect of dimethyl borate composition on the performance of boron doped ZnO dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC)

  • Published:
Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Effect of dimethyl borate (C3H9BO3) composition on the structure, morphology, thickness, elemental composition, optical absorption, photoluminescence of ZnO nanotubes and the performance of the DSSC has been studied. It was found that the structure, diameter, thickness, elemental composition, optical absorption and morphology of ZnO nanostructure are significantly influenced by the composition of dimethyl borate. The diameter and thickness of ZnO nanotubes decrease with the increase in the composition of C3H9BO3. The photoluminescence increases with the composition of C3H9BO3. The DSSC utilizing ZnO nanotubes synthesized at 1 wt% C3H9BO3 yields the J SC and η of 1.9 mA cm−2 and 0.222 %, respectively.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. S. Ameen, M.S. Akhtar, H.K. Seo, Y.S. Kim, H.S. Shin, Influence of Sn doping on ZnO nanostructures from nanoparticles to spindle shape and their photoelectrochemical properties for dye sensitized solar cells. Chem. Eng. J. 187, 351–356 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. A. Tubtimtae, M.-W. Lee, ZnO nanorods on undoped and indium-doped ZnO thin films as a TCO layer on nonconductive glass for dye-sensitized solar cells. Superlattice Microstruct. 52, 987–996 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. J. Zhang, W. Peng, Z. Chen, H. Chen, L. Han, Effect of cerium doping in the TiO2 photoanode on the electron transport of dye-sensitized solar cells. J. Phys. Chem. C 116, 19182–19190 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. J.C. Zhang, Z.Y. Han, Q.Y. Li, X.Y. Yang, Y. Yu, W.L. Cao, N, S-doped TiO2 anode effect on performance of dye-sensitized solar cells. J. Phys. Chem. Solids 72, 1239–1244 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. M.Y.A. Rahman, A.A. Umar, S.K.M. Saad, M.M. Salleh, A. Ishaq, Effect of dye on the performance of nitrogen doped TiO2 solar cell prepared via ammonia treated liquid phase deposition technique. J. New Mater. Electrochem. Syst. 17, 33–37 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  6. T. Ma, M. Akiyama, E. Abe, High-efficiency dye-sensitized solar cell based on a nitrogen doped nanostructured titania electrode. Nano Lett. 5, 2543–2547 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. C.K. Lim, H. Huang, C.L. Chow, P.Y. Tan, X. Cheng, M.S. Tse, O.K. Tan, Enhanced charge transport properties of dye-sensitized solar cells using TiNxOy nanostructure composite photoanode. J. Phys. Chem. C 116, 19659–19664 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Y.-B. Tang, C.-S. Lee, J. Xu, Z.-T. Liu, Z.-H. Chen, Z. He, Y.-L. Cao, G. Yuan, H. Song, L. Chen, L. Luo, H.-M. Cheng, W.-J. Zhang, I. Bello, S.-T. Lee, Incorporation of graphenes in nanostructured TiO2 films via molecular grafting for dye-sensitized solar cell application. ACS Nano 4, 3482–3488 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. B.N. Pawar, G. Cai, D. Ham, R.S. Mane, T. Ganesh, A. Ghule, R. Sharma, K.D. Jadhava, S.H. Han, Preparation of transparent and conducting boron-doped ZnO electrode for its application in dye-sensitized solar cells Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 93, 524–527 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. V. Kumar, N. Singh, V. Kumar, L.P. Purohit, A. Kapoor, O.M. Ntwaeaborwa, H.C. Swart, Doped zinc oxide window layers for dye sensitized solar cells. J. Appl. Phys. 114, 134506 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. P. Dhamodharan, C. Manoharan, S. Dhanapandian, M. Bououdina, S. Ramalingam, Preparation and characterization of spray deposited Sn-doped ZnO thin films onto ITO substrate as photoanode in dye sensitized solar cell. J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Electron. 26, 4830–4839 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. İ. Polat, Effects of Na-doping on the efficiency of ZnO nanorods-based dye sensitized solar cells. J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Electron. 25, 3721–3726 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. İ. Polat, S. Yılmaz, E. Bacaksız, Y. Atasoy, M. Tomakin, Synthesis and fabrication of Mg-doped ZnO-based dye-synthesized solar cells. J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Electron. 25, 3173–3178 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. S. Jana, A.S. Vuk, A. Mallick, B. Orel, P.K. Biswas, Effect of boron doping on optical properties of sol–gel based nanostructured zinc oxide films on glass. Mater. Res. Bull. 46, 2392–2397 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. M. Caglar, S. Ilican, Y. Caglar, F. Yakuphanoglu, Boron doped nanostructure ZnO films onto ITO substrate. J. Alloys Compd. 509, 3177–3182 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. B.J. Lokhande, P.S. Patil, M.D. Uplane, Studies on structural, optical and electrical properties of boron doped zinc oxide films prepared by spray pyrolysis technique. Phys. B 302–303, 59–63 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. B.N. Pawar, S.R. Jadkar, M.G. Takwale, Deposition and characterization of transparent and conductive sprayed ZnO:B thin films. J. Phys. Chem. Solids 66, 1779–1782 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. S.Y. Myong, J. Steinhauser, R. Schluchter, S. Fay, E. Vallat-Sauvain, A. Shah, C. Ballif, A. Rufenacht, Temperature dependence of the conductivity in large-grained boron-doped ZnO films. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 91, 1269–1274 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. S. Fay, U. Kroll, C. Bucher, E. Vallat-Sauvain, A. Shah, Low pressure chemical vapour deposition of ZnO layers for thin-film solar cells: temperature-induced morphological changes. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 86, 385–397 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. I. Iwantono, W. Nurwidya, L.R. Lestari, F.Y. Naumar, S. Nafisah, A.A. Umar, M.Y.A. Rahman, M.M. Salleh, Effect of growth temperature and time on ZnO films properties and the performance of dye-sensitized solar cell. J. Solid State Electrochem. 19, 1217–1221 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. L. Roza, M.Y.A. Rahman, A.A. Umar, M.M. Salleh, Direct growth of oriented ZnO nanotubes by self-selective etching at lower temperature for photo-electrochemical (PEC) solar cell application. J. Alloys Compd. 618, 153–158 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. M.Y.A. Rahman, L. Roza, A.A. Umar, M.M. Salleh, Effect of acid boric composition on the properties of ZnO thin film nanotubes and the performance of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). J Alloys Compd. 648, 86–91 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by The Ministry of higher Education of Malaysia under research Grant FRGS/2/2013/SG02/UKM/02/5, FRGS/2/2013/SG02/UKM/02/8 and GUP-2013-030.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to M. Y. A. Rahman or A. A. Umar.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Rahman, M.Y.A., Roza, L., Umar, A.A. et al. Effect of dimethyl borate composition on the performance of boron doped ZnO dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 27, 2228–2234 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-015-4015-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-015-4015-y

Keywords

Navigation