Acta Phys. -Chim. Sin. ›› 2012, Vol. 28 ›› Issue (12): 2861-2866.doi: 10.3866/PKU.WHXB201209051

• ELECTROCHEMISTRY AND NEW ENERGY • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Photoelectrochemical Properties of CdS/ZnO Shell-Core Nanorod Arrays Modified with P3HT

SUN Bao1,2, HAO Yan-Zhong2, GUO Fen1, LI Ying-Pin2, LUO Chong2, PEI Juan2, SHEN Shi-Gang3   

  1. 1 College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, P. R. China;
    2 College of Sciences, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Shijiazhuang 050018, P. R. China;
    3 College of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, Hebei Province, P. R. China
  • Received:2012-07-09 Revised:2012-09-04 Published:2012-11-14
  • Supported by:

    The project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21173065, 20573031) and Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province, China (B2010000856).

Abstract:

Highly ordered ZnO nanorod arrays were prepared on an indium-tin oxide (ITO) glass substrate using an electrochemical method. The poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT)-modified CdS/ZnO shellcore nanorod arrays were fabricated by electrodepositing CdS nanoparticles and then a thin P3HT layer onto the prepared ZnO nanorod arrays. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) were used to characterize the samples to confirm the formation of the designed nanostructures. A semiconductorsensitized solar cell with the designed nanostructure as the photoanode was fabricated. The effects of the thickness of the CdS layer and the deposition of the P3HT layer on the photovoltaic performance of the designed solar cell were investigated, as well as the charge transfer mechanism of the solar cell. The results indicated that light absorption of the photoanode was broadened to the visible region through the electrodeposition of the CdS nanoparticles and P3HT film onto the ZnO nanorods. An energy conversion efficiency up to 1.08% was obtained with the designed semiconductor-sensitized solar cells.

Key words: ZnO nanorod array, Cdmium sulfide, Poly(3-hexylthiophene), Electrochemical deposition, Shell-core nanostructure, Semiconductor-sensitized solar cell