Neodymium doped titania as photoanode and graphene oxide-CuS composite as counter electrode material in quantum dot solar cell

Journal of Materials Research

Volumn 30, Issue 21, 2015, Pages 3241-3251

  D'Souza, Laveena P ^a   Muralikrishna, Sreeramareddygari ^a   Chandan, Hunsur R ^a   Ramakrishnappa, Thippeswamy ^a   Balakrishna, R Geetha ^a  

^a JAIN UNIVERSITY   (India)

Author keywords

CdSe quantum dots; GO CuS composite; Nd doped TiO2; solar cell

Indexed keywords

CYCLIC VOLTAMMETRY; DOPING (ADDITIVES); ELECTROCHEMICAL ELECTRODES; ELECTRODES; ELECTRON TRANSITIONS; ELECTRONS; ENERGY GAP; GRAPHENE; NANOCRYSTALS; NANOSTRUCTURED MATERIALS; NEODYMIUM; PARTICLE SIZE; REDOX REACTIONS; SEMICONDUCTOR QUANTUM DOTS; TITANIUM DIOXIDE;

CDSE QUANTUM DOTS; COUNTER ELECTRODE MATERIALS; ND-DOPED; PHOTOANODE MATERIALS; QUANTUM DOT SOLAR CELLS; REFLECTANCE SPECTROSCOPY; SENSITIZED SOLAR CELLS; SURFACE ELECTRON STATE;

SOLAR CELLS;

EID: 84949309959     PISSN: 08842914     EISSN: 20445326     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1557/jmr.2015.314     Document Type: Article

References (43)

1. Z. Pan, K. Zhao, J. Wang, H. Zhang, Y. Feng, and X. Zhong: Near infrared absorption of CdSexTe1-x alloyed quantum dot sensitized solar cells with more than 6% efficiency and high stability. ACS Nano 7, 5215 (2013).
2. Z. Li, Y. Xie, H. Xu, T. Wang, Z. Xu, and H. Zhang: Expanding the photoresponse range of TiO2 nanotube arrays by CdS/CdSe/ ZnS quantum dots co-modification. J. Photochem. Photobiol., A 224, 25 (2011).
3. N. Balis, V. Dracopoulos, K. Bourikas, and P. Lianos: Quantum dot sensitized solar cells based on an optimized combination of ZnS, CdS and CdSe with CoS and CuS counter electrodes. Electrochim. Acta 91, 246 (2013).
4. I.V. Lightcap and P.V. Kamat: Fortification of CdSe quantum dots with graphene oxide. Excited state interations and light energy conversion. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 134, 7109 (2012).
5. S. Fan, D. Kim, J. Kim, D.W. Jung, S.O. Kang, and J. Ko: Highly efficient CdSe quantum dot sensitized TiO2 photoelectrodes for solar cell applications. Electrochem.Commun. 11, 1337 (2009).
6. V. Gonzalez-Pedro, Q. Shen, V. Jovanovski, S. Gimenez, R.T. Zaera, T. Toyoda, and I.M. Sera: Ultrafast characterisation of the electron injection from CdSe quantum dots and dye N719 co-sensitizers into TiO2 using sulphide based ionic liquid for enhanced long term stability. Electrochim. Acta 100, 35 (2013).
7. Y. Duan, N. Fu, Q. Liu, Y. Fang, X. Zhou, and J. Zhang: Sn-doped TiO2 photoanode for dye sensitized solar cells. J. Phys. Chem. C 116, 8888 (2012).
8. P.S. Archana, A. Gupta, M.M. Yusoff, and R. Jose: Tungsten doped titanium dioxide nanowires for high efficiency dye-sensitized solar cells. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 16, 7448 (2014).
9. T.V. Nam, N.T. Trang, and B.T. Cong: Mg-doped TiO2 for dyesensitive solar cell: An electronic structure study. Proc. Natl. Conf. Theor. Phys. 37, 233 (2012).
10. S. Rengaraj, S. Venkatraj, J.W. Yeon, Y. Kim, X.Z. Li, and G.K.S. Pang: Preparation, characterisation and application of Nd-TiO2 photocatalyst for the reduction of Cr (VI) under UV light illumination. Appl. Catal., B 77, 157 (2007).
11. D. Li, H. Haneda, S. Hishita, N. Ohashi, and N.K. Labhsetwar: Fluorine-doped TiO2 powders prepared by spray pyrolysis and their improved photocatalytic activity for decomposition of gasphase acetaldehyde. J. Fluorine Chem. 126, 69 (2005).
12. Y. Xu, C. Chen, X. Yang, X. Li, and B. Wang: Preparation, characterization and photocatalytic activity of the neodymiumdoped TiO2 nanotubes. Appl. Surf. Sci. 255, 8624 (2009).
13. T. López-Luke, A. Wolcott, L. Xu, S. Chen, Z. Wen, J. Li, E.D.L. Rosa, and J.Z. Zhang: Nitrogen-doped and CdSe quantum dot sensitized nanocrystalline TiO2 films for solar energy conversion application. J. Phys. Chem. C 112, 1282 (2008).
14. K.U. Minchitha and R.G. Balakrishna: Structural modification and property tailoring in titania for high efficiency in sunlight. Mater. Chem. Phys. 136, 720 (2012).
15. G.S. Paul, J.H. Kim, M.S. Kim, K. Do, J. Ko, and J.S. Yu: Different hierarchical nanostructured carbons as counter electrodes for CdS quantum dot solar cells. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 4, 375 (2011).
16. M. Ye, C. Chen, N. Zhang, X. Wen, W. Guo, and C. Lin: Quantum-dot sensitized solar cells employing hierarchical Cu2S microspheres wrapped by reduced graphene oxide nanosheets as effective counter electrodes. Adv. Energy Mater. 4, 1301564 (2014). doi: 10.1002/aenm.201301564.
17. J.G. Radich, R. Dwyer, and P.V. Kamat: Cu2S reduced graphene oxide composite for high-efficiency quantum dot solar cells. Overcoming the redox limitations of S2-/Sn 2-at the counter electrode. J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2, 2453 (2011).
18. H.J. Lee, D.W. Chang, S. Park, S.M. Zakeerruddin, M. Gratzel, and M.K. Nazeeruddin: CdSe quantum dot (QD) and molecular dye hybrid sensitizers for TiO2 mesoporous solar cells: Working together with a common hole carrier of cobalt complexes. Chem. Commun. 46, 8788 (2010).
19. M. Mathesh, J. Liu, N.D. Nam, S.K.H. Lam, R. Zheng, C.J. Barrow, and W. Yang: Facile synthesis of graphene oxide hybrids bridged by copper ions for increased conductivity. J. Mater. Chem. C. 1, 3084 (2013).
20. J.D. Roy-Mayhew, D.J. Bozym, C. Punckt, and I.A. Aksay: Functionalized graphene as a catalytic counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells. ACS Nano 4, 6203 (2010).
21. L. Chen, L. Tuo, J. Rao, and X. Zhou: TiO2 doped with different ratios of graphene and optimized application in CdS/CdSe quantum dot-sensitized solar cells. Mater. Lett. 124, 161 (2014).
22. X. Luan, L. Chen, J. Zhang, G. Qu, J.C. Flake, and Y. Wanga: Electrophoretic deposition of reduced graphene oxide nano sheets on TiO2 nanotube arrays for dye sensitized solar cells. Electrochim. Acta 111, 216 (2013).
23. A. Kathalingum, J. Rhee, and S. Han: Effects of graphene counter electrode and CdSe quantum dots in TiO2 and ZnO on dye sensitized solar cell performance. Int. J. Energy. Res. 38, 674 (2014).
24. J. Bai and X. Jiang: A facile one-pot synthesis of copper sulfidedecorated reduced graphene oxide composites for enhanced detecting of H2O2 in biological environments. Anal. Chem. 85, 8095 (2013).
25. R. Shwetharani, M.S. Jyothi, P.D. Laveena, and R.G. Balakrishna: Photoactive titania float for disinfection of water; evaluation of cell damage by bioanalytical techniques. Photochem. Photobiol. 90, 1099 (2014).
26. W.S. Hummers and R.E. Offman: Preparation of graphitic oxide. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 80, 1339 (1958).
27. H.R. Chandan, V. Saravanan, R.K. Pai, and R.G. Balakrishna: Synergistic effect of binary ligands on nucleation and growth/size effect of nanocrystals: Studies on reusability of the solvent. J. Mater. Res. 29, 1556 (2014).
28. V. Amoli and A.K. Sinha: Synthesis of multiwalled TiO2 nanotubes under weak alkaline conditions for dye-sensitized solar cells. J. Nanosci. Nanotechnol. 15, 726 (2014).
29. X. Chen and S.S. Mao: Titanium dioxide nanomaterials: Synthesis, properties, modifications and applications. Chem. Rev. 107, 2896 (2007).
30. V.I. Klimov: Semiconductor and Metal Nanocrystals. Synthesis and Electronic and Optical Properties, 1st ed. (New York: CRC Press, 2003).
31. R. Shwetharani, C.A.N. Fernando, and G.R. Balakrishana: Excellent hydrogen evolution by a multi approach via structure property tailoring of titania. RSC Adv. 5, 39127 (2015).
32. J. Yan, G. Wu, N. Guan, L. Li, Z. Li, and X. Cao: Understanding the effect of surface/bulk defects on the photocatalytic activity of TiO2: Anstase versus rutile. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 15, 10978 (2013).
33. J. Zhang, Z. Zhao, X. Wang, T. Yu, J. Guan, Z. Yu, Z. Li, and Z. Zou: Increasing oxygen vacancy density on the TiO2 surface by La-doping for dye-sensitized solar cells. J. Phys. Chem. C 114, 18396 (2010).
34. C. Netravathi, B. Vishwanath, J. Michael, and M. Rajamath: Hydrothermal synthesis of amonoclinic VO2 nanotube-graphene hybrid for use as cathode material in lithium ion batteries. Carbon 50, 4843 (2012).
35. S. Muralikrishna, H. Sureshkumar, T.S. Varley, D.H. Nagaraju, and T. Ramakrishnappa: Insitu reduction and functionalization of graphene oxide with L-cyateine for simultaneous electrochemical determination of cadmium (II), lead (II), copper (II) and mercury (II) ions. Anal. Methods 6, 8698 (2014).
36. J. Zen, H. Chung, and A.S. Kumar: Flow injection analysis of hydrogen peroxide on copper plated screen printed carbon electrodes. Analyst 125, 1633 (2000).
37. T. Wang, J. Hu, W. Yang, and H. Zhang, Electrodeposition of monodispersed metal nanoparticles in a nafion film: Towards highly active nanocatalysts. Electrochem. Commun. 10, 814 (2008).
38. P.V. Kamat: Quantum dot solar cells. The next big thing in photovoltaics. J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 4, 908 (2013).
39. X. Xua, S. Gimenez, I. Mora-Sera, A. Abate, J. Bisquer, and G. Xu: Influence of cysteine adsorption on the performance of CdSe quantum dots sensitized solar cells. Mater. Chem. Phys. 124, 709 (2010).
40. I. Mora-Sera, S. Gimenez, T. Moehl, F. Santiago, T. Lana-Villareal, R. Gomez, and J. Bisquert: Factro determining the photovoltaic performance of a CdSe quantum dot sensitized solar cell: The role of linker molecule and of the counter electrode. Nanotechnology 19, 424007 (2008).
41. H.K. Jun, M.A. Careemm, and A.K. Arof: Performances of some low-cost counter electrode materials in CdS and CdSe quantum dot-sensitized solar cells. Nanoscale Res. Lett. 9, 69 (2014).
42. S. Bingham and W.A. Daoud: Recent advances in making nanosized TiO2 visible-light active through rare-earth metal doping. J. Mater. Chem. 21, 2041-2050 (2011).
43. P. Sudhagar, T. Song, D.H. Lee, I. Mora-Sera, J. Bisquert, M. Laudenslager, W.M. Sigmund, W.I. Park, U. Paik and Y.S. Kang: High open circuit voltage quantum dot sensitized solar cells manufactured with ZnO nanowire arrays and Si/ZnO branched hierarchical structures. J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2, 1984 (2011).