Synthesis of zinc oxide/titanium dioxide (ZnO/TiO2) nanocomposites by wet incipient wetness impregnation method and preparation of ZnO/TiO2 paste using poly(vinylpyrrolidone) for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells

Waqar Ahmad; Umer Mehmood; Amir Al-Ahmed; Fahad A. Al-Sulaiman; M. Zaheer Aslam; Muhammad Shahzad Kamal; R. A. Shawabkeh

doi:10.1016/j.electacta.2016.10.200

Synthesis of zinc oxide/titanium dioxide (ZnO/TiO₂) nanocomposites by wet incipient wetness impregnation method and preparation of ZnO/TiO₂ paste using poly(vinylpyrrolidone) for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells

Waqar Ahmad
, Umer Mehmood^*
, Amir Al-Ahmed
, Fahad A. Al-Sulaiman
, M. Zaheer Aslam
, Muhammad Shahzad Kamal
, R. A. Shawabkeh

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

54 Scopus citations

Abstract

The overall objective of this study is to enhance the power conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) by employing nanocomposite photoanodes. Nanocomposites of TiO₂ with ZnO were synthesized by impregnation method. ZnO nanoparticles were impregnated on TiO₂ in different concentrations and then characterized by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy- energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) analyses. Thin film photoanodes were prepared using composite paste with poly(vinylpyrrolidone) as a binder. Solar cells fabricated with ZnO/TiO₂ nanocomposites photoanodes were characterized by photocurrent–voltage characteristic, Incident photon-to-current efficiency, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. The results show that the DSSC based on ZnO/TiO₂ film with an optimum concentration of ZnO (3 wt%) shows power conversion efficiency of 8.10%, improved by 28% compared to that of pure TiO₂ based solar cell. The increase in efficiency can be attributed to fast electron transport, improve light harvesting efficiency, and enhanced electron collection at photoanodes.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	473-480
Number of pages	8
Journal	Electrochimica Acta
Volume	222
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2016.10.200
State	Published - 20 Dec 2016

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Elsevier Ltd

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

Electron collection
Electron transport
Light harvesting
Nanocomposites
Photoanodes
Poly(vinylpyrrolidone)

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Chemical Engineering
Electrochemistry

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Ahmad, W., Mehmood, U., Al-Ahmed, A., Al-Sulaiman, F. A., Aslam, M. Z., Kamal, M. S., & Shawabkeh, R. A. (2016). Synthesis of zinc oxide/titanium dioxide (ZnO/TiO₂) nanocomposites by wet incipient wetness impregnation method and preparation of ZnO/TiO₂ paste using poly(vinylpyrrolidone) for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells. Electrochimica Acta, 222, 473-480. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2016.10.200

@article{ee1ca8ce7eeb41fb9d89f3b448a40daf,

title = "Synthesis of zinc oxide/titanium dioxide (ZnO/TiO2) nanocomposites by wet incipient wetness impregnation method and preparation of ZnO/TiO2 paste using poly(vinylpyrrolidone) for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells",

abstract = "The overall objective of this study is to enhance the power conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) by employing nanocomposite photoanodes. Nanocomposites of TiO2 with ZnO were synthesized by impregnation method. ZnO nanoparticles were impregnated on TiO2 in different concentrations and then characterized by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy- energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) analyses. Thin film photoanodes were prepared using composite paste with poly(vinylpyrrolidone) as a binder. Solar cells fabricated with ZnO/TiO2 nanocomposites photoanodes were characterized by photocurrent–voltage characteristic, Incident photon-to-current efficiency, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. The results show that the DSSC based on ZnO/TiO2 film with an optimum concentration of ZnO (3 wt\%) shows power conversion efficiency of 8.10\%, improved by 28\% compared to that of pure TiO2 based solar cell. The increase in efficiency can be attributed to fast electron transport, improve light harvesting efficiency, and enhanced electron collection at photoanodes.",

keywords = "Electron collection, Electron transport, Light harvesting, Nanocomposites, Photoanodes, Poly(vinylpyrrolidone)",

author = "Waqar Ahmad and Umer Mehmood and Amir Al-Ahmed and Al-Sulaiman, \{Fahad A.\} and Aslam, \{M. Zaheer\} and Kamal, \{Muhammad Shahzad\} and Shawabkeh, \{R. A.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2016 Elsevier Ltd",

year = "2016",

month = dec,

day = "20",

doi = "10.1016/j.electacta.2016.10.200",

language = "English",

volume = "222",

pages = "473--480",

journal = "Electrochimica Acta",

issn = "0013-4686",

publisher = "Elsevier Ltd.",

}

Ahmad, W, Mehmood, U, Al-Ahmed, A, Al-Sulaiman, FA, Aslam, MZ, Kamal, MS & Shawabkeh, RA 2016, 'Synthesis of zinc oxide/titanium dioxide (ZnO/TiO₂) nanocomposites by wet incipient wetness impregnation method and preparation of ZnO/TiO₂ paste using poly(vinylpyrrolidone) for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells', Electrochimica Acta, vol. 222, pp. 473-480. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2016.10.200

Synthesis of zinc oxide/titanium dioxide (ZnO/TiO₂) nanocomposites by wet incipient wetness impregnation method and preparation of ZnO/TiO₂ paste using poly(vinylpyrrolidone) for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells. / Ahmad, Waqar; Mehmood, Umer; Al-Ahmed, Amir et al.
In: Electrochimica Acta, Vol. 222, 20.12.2016, p. 473-480.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Synthesis of zinc oxide/titanium dioxide (ZnO/TiO2) nanocomposites by wet incipient wetness impregnation method and preparation of ZnO/TiO2 paste using poly(vinylpyrrolidone) for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells

AU - Ahmad, Waqar

AU - Mehmood, Umer

AU - Al-Ahmed, Amir

AU - Al-Sulaiman, Fahad A.

AU - Aslam, M. Zaheer

AU - Kamal, Muhammad Shahzad

AU - Shawabkeh, R. A.

PY - 2016/12/20

Y1 - 2016/12/20

N2 - The overall objective of this study is to enhance the power conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) by employing nanocomposite photoanodes. Nanocomposites of TiO2 with ZnO were synthesized by impregnation method. ZnO nanoparticles were impregnated on TiO2 in different concentrations and then characterized by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy- energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) analyses. Thin film photoanodes were prepared using composite paste with poly(vinylpyrrolidone) as a binder. Solar cells fabricated with ZnO/TiO2 nanocomposites photoanodes were characterized by photocurrent–voltage characteristic, Incident photon-to-current efficiency, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. The results show that the DSSC based on ZnO/TiO2 film with an optimum concentration of ZnO (3 wt%) shows power conversion efficiency of 8.10%, improved by 28% compared to that of pure TiO2 based solar cell. The increase in efficiency can be attributed to fast electron transport, improve light harvesting efficiency, and enhanced electron collection at photoanodes.

AB - The overall objective of this study is to enhance the power conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) by employing nanocomposite photoanodes. Nanocomposites of TiO2 with ZnO were synthesized by impregnation method. ZnO nanoparticles were impregnated on TiO2 in different concentrations and then characterized by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy- energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) analyses. Thin film photoanodes were prepared using composite paste with poly(vinylpyrrolidone) as a binder. Solar cells fabricated with ZnO/TiO2 nanocomposites photoanodes were characterized by photocurrent–voltage characteristic, Incident photon-to-current efficiency, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. The results show that the DSSC based on ZnO/TiO2 film with an optimum concentration of ZnO (3 wt%) shows power conversion efficiency of 8.10%, improved by 28% compared to that of pure TiO2 based solar cell. The increase in efficiency can be attributed to fast electron transport, improve light harvesting efficiency, and enhanced electron collection at photoanodes.

KW - Electron collection

KW - Electron transport

KW - Light harvesting

KW - Nanocomposites

KW - Photoanodes

KW - Poly(vinylpyrrolidone)

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85006102573

U2 - 10.1016/j.electacta.2016.10.200

DO - 10.1016/j.electacta.2016.10.200

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85006102573

SN - 0013-4686

VL - 222

SP - 473

EP - 480

JO - Electrochimica Acta

JF - Electrochimica Acta

ER -

Ahmad W, Mehmood U, Al-Ahmed A, Al-Sulaiman FA, Aslam MZ, Kamal MS et al. Synthesis of zinc oxide/titanium dioxide (ZnO/TiO₂) nanocomposites by wet incipient wetness impregnation method and preparation of ZnO/TiO₂ paste using poly(vinylpyrrolidone) for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells. Electrochimica Acta. 2016 Dec 20;222:473-480. doi: 10.1016/j.electacta.2016.10.200