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Tuning the Dimensions of ZnO Nanorod Arrays for Application in Hybrid Photovoltaics
Author(s) -
Baeten Linny,
Conings Bert,
D'Haen Jan,
De Dobbelaere Christopher,
Hardy An,
Manca Jean V.,
Van Bael Marlies K.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
chemphyschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.016
H-Index - 140
eISSN - 1439-7641
pISSN - 1439-4235
DOI - 10.1002/cphc.201200102
Subject(s) - nanorod , materials science , nanotechnology , photovoltaics , zinc , hydrothermal circulation , acceptor , chemical engineering , optoelectronics , photovoltaic system , ecology , physics , condensed matter physics , engineering , metallurgy , biology
ZnO nanorod arrays are a very eligible option as electron acceptor material in hybrid solar cells, owing to their favorable electrical properties and abundance of available, easy, and low‐cost synthesis methods. To become truly effective in this field, a major prerequisite is the ability to tune the nanorod dimensions towards optimal compatibility with electron‐donating absorber materials. In this work, a water‐based seeding and growth procedure is used to synthesize ZnO nanorods. The nanorod diameter is tuned either by modifying the zinc concentration of the seeding solution or by changing the concentration of the hydrothermal growth solution. The consequences of this morphological tailoring in the performance of hybrid solar cells are investigated, which leads to a new record efficiency of 0.82 % for hydrothermally grown ZnO nanorods of size 300 nm in combination with poly(3‐hexylthiophene‐2,5‐diyl) (P3HT). This improvement is attributed to a combined effect of nanorod diameter and orientation, and possibly to a better alignment of the P3HT backbone resulting in improved charge transport.