Scientists replace nanoparticles with nanostructures to produce solar cells with higher efficiency

Zinc oxide nanostructures were used instead of zinc oxide nanoparticles in the production of dye-sensitized solar cells by researchers from Tehran University. Due to their high mobility, the nanostructures increase the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells based on these nanostructures. This research deals with the production, designing, and characterization of solar cells based on dye-sensitized zinc oxide nanoparticles. The solar cells consist of an anode and a cathode. This research studies the anode structure, and determines the optimum conditions. The nanostructures can be considered appropriate replacement for the nanoparticles. Fatemeh Dehqan Nayyeri, a PhD student in electrical engineering and nanoelectronics in University of Tehran, explained how nanowires were grown in this research. “Zinc oxide nanowires were grown through chemical bath deposition method, which is a simple, cost-effective, and repeatable process, and it can be carried out at large scale. We know that the properties and the thickness of the seed layers affect the growth of zinc oxide nanowires. ZnO seed layers with weak crystalline properties produce vertical nanowires with less leveling.” The use of zinc oxide nanostructures instead of zinc oxide nanoparticles in the production of dye-sensitized solar cells increases the efficiency of the solar cells based on these nanostructures due to higher mobility. Two different seed layers of ZnO and AZO were used in order to produce the solar cell. Results of the research will be published in December 2013 in Renewable Energy, vol. 60. For more information about the details of the research, study the full article on pages 246-255 on the same journal.