Showing papers on "Chemical bath deposition published in 2012"
TL;DR: In this article, a hierarchical porous Ni-Co oxide powder is successfully synthesized by a facile chemical bath deposition method and its structure and composition is confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis.
Abstract: Hierarchically porous Ni-Co oxide powder is successfully synthesized by a facile chemical bath deposition method. The structure and composition of Ni-Co oxide are confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. Scanning electron microscopy characterization indicates that the Ni-Co oxide has architecture of numerous microflowers with porous flakes. The pseudocapacitive behavior of the Ni-Co oxide powder is investigated by cyclic voltammgrams (CVs) and galvanostatic charge-discharge tests in alkali solution. The Ni-Co oxide shows a good reversibility with a high specific capacitance (834.93 Fg−1 at 1 mVs−1 scan rate). This active material was also used to manufacture a Ni-Co oxide//AC (Active Carbon) asymmetric supercapacitor. The Ni-Co oxide//AC asymmetric supercapacitor shows not only a high specific capacitance (60 Fg−1 with 1 mVs−1 scan rate), but also a high reversibility where its specific capacitance remains at 37 Fg−1 at a high current density of 20 mAcm−2.
274 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the annealing effect on optical and photovoltaic properties of CdSe quantum-dot-sensitized TiO2 nanorod solar cells was studied systematically.
Abstract: Large area rutile TiO2 nanorod arrays were grown on F:SnO2 (FTO) conductive glass using a hydrothermal method at low temperature. CdSe quantum dots (QDs) were deposited onto single-crystalline TiO2 nanorod arrays by a chemical bath deposition (CBD) method to make a photoelectrode. The solar cell was assembled using a CdSe-TiO2 nanostructure as the photoanode and polysulfide solution as the electrolyte. The annealing effect on optical and photovoltaic properties of CdSe quantum-dotssensitized TiO2 nanorod solar cells was studied systematically. A significant change of the morphology and a regular red shift of band gap of CdSe nanoparticles were observed after annealing treatment. At the same time, an improved photovoltaic performance was obtained for quantum-dots-sensitized solar cell using the annealed CdSe-TiO2 nanostructure electrode. The power conversion efficiency improved from 0.59% to 1.45% as a consequence of the annealing effect. This improvement can be explained by considering the changes in the morphology, the crystalline quality, and the optical properties caused by annealing treatment.
214 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors optimized the thickness and porosity of TiO2 mesoporous film for better distribution of quantum dots to enhance the performance of CdS/CdSe quantum dot cosensitized solar cells.
Abstract: The thickness and porosity of TiO2 mesoporous film were optimized for better distribution of quantum dots to enhance the performance of CdS/CdSe quantum dot cosensitized solar cells. The CdS and CdSe quantum dots were prepared on TiO2 mesoporous film through a successive ion layer absorption and reaction (SILAR) method and a chemical bath deposition (CBD) method, respectively. It was found that the distribution of quantum dots was inhomogeneous from the surface to the interior of the TiO2 film, being mainly concentrated at the upper layer of the TiO2 film. As a result, simply increasing film thickness did not make significant contribution to improving solar cell efficiency since only a small portion of quantum dots might access the interior of the film, leading to an exposure of TiO2 nanoparticles in electrolyte and thus reducing the electron lifetime due to increased charge recombination rate. Our study revealed that the efficiency could reach its maximum, ∼4.62%, with the TiO2 film, the thickness of whi...
182 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the effect of preparation parameters like microwave power and irradiation time on the morphology and particle size of the as-synthesized CuInS2 nanoparticles were investigated.
162 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the effect of different nickel precursors on structural, morphological and supercapacitive properties of β-Ni(OH) 2 thin films have been investigated by X-ray diffraction and FTIR studies.
157 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a one-step, seedless and cost-effective route for fabricating pseudocapacitive materials in 3-D form was proposed for fabrication of nanorod arrays, which showed a specific capacitance of 456 F g−1 with an energy density of 12.8 W h kg−1.
Abstract: Nanorod arrays were grown directly on a stainless steel substrate by the chemical bath deposition method. Parallel arrays of nanorods show a specific capacitance of 456 F g−1 with an energy density of 12.8 W h kg−1. This approach provides a one-step, seedless and cost-effective route for fabricating pseudocapacitive materials in 3-D form.
130 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a new chemical bath deposition kinetics for the zinc sulfide oxide Zn(S,O) buffer layer as used in CIGS-based solar cells is reported.
Abstract: We report on a new chemical bath deposition kinetics for the zinc sulfide oxide Zn(S,O) buffer layer as used in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS)-based solar cells. The new approach allows at high rates a better control of the growth kinetics, the step coverage on the rough CIGS surface, and the [S]/([S]+[O]) ratio in the film. Layer thicknesses as needed for buffer layer applications can be grown at moderate temperatures of 60–80 °C within 5–8 min. Applying this high-rate Zn(S,O) buffer in CIGS/Zn(S,O)/(Zn,Mg)O/ZnO:Al devices, we realized highly efficient small area solar cells, 30 × 30 cm2 submodules, and 60 × 120 cm2 full-size modules. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
111 citations
TL;DR: The application of plasma dramatically enhanced both the rate of conversion and the quality of the resulting material; stoichiometric FeS(2) was obtained at a moderate temperature of 400 °C and approximately doubled under calibrated solar illumination.
Abstract: Pyrite (FeS2) thin films were synthesized using a H2S plasma to sulfurize hematite (Fe2O3) nanorods deposited by chemical bath deposition. The high S activity within the plasma enabled a direct solid-state transformation between the two materials, bypassing S-deficient contaminant phases (Fe1–xS). The application of plasma dramatically enhanced both the rate of conversion and the quality of the resulting material; stoichiometric FeS2 was obtained at a moderate temperature of 400 °C using a chalcogen partial pressure 105 cm–1 in the visible range. Room-temperature conductivity of FeS2 films was on the order of 10–4 S cm–1 and approximately doubled under calibrated solar illumination.
107 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a microwave oven was used as a heating source to synthesize the nanocrystalline CdS thin films, which were examined for their structural and surface morphologies by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy.
100 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the structural properties of ZnO nanowires grown by chemical bath deposition were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction measurements, and it was shown that the vertical alignment of the seed layer was improved by strengthening the texture along the c axis.
Abstract: The effects of the structural morphology of the ZnO thin seed layer composed of nanoparticles grown by dip coating have been investigated on the structural properties of ZnO nanowires grown by chemical bath deposition. It is revealed by scanning electron microscopy that the growth of ZnO nanowires is limited by the mass transport of chemical precursors in solution, leading to the inverse relationship of their average diameter and length with their density. It is shown by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction measurements that ZnO nanowires epitaxially grow on the seed layer and preferentially nucleate on the free surface of ZnO nanoparticles. The vertical alignment of ZnO nanowires as quantitatively deduced by X-ray pole figures is found to be improved by strengthening the texture of the seed layer along the c axis. Similarly, their density increases, showing that the c polar plane is highly reactive chemically and presents preferential surface nucleation sites. The relationship between t...
93 citations
TL;DR: In this article, high quality, vertically aligned ZnO nanorods were grown on a silicon substrate, using microwave-assisted chemical bath deposition with polyvinyl alcohol-Zn(OH)2 nanocomposites as seed layer.
Abstract: High quality, vertically aligned ZnO nanorods were grown on a silicon substrate, using microwave-assisted chemical bath deposition with poly (vinyl alcohol)-Zn(OH)2 nanocomposites as seed layer. The structure and surface morphology of the prepared ZnO nanorod arrays were characterized using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The optical properties were assessed using photoluminescence measurements; the results showed a high-intensity UV peak, and a lower intensity, broader visible peak. Upon exposure to 395 nm light at a zero-bias voltage, the UV detector showed a high sensitivity of 8000% and fast response and recovery times of 25 and 22 ms, respectively.
TL;DR: In this paper, the effect of the pH value of the chemical bath on the optical properties of amorphous thin films is investigated and discussed by means of the optical transmission of the thin films in the wavelength range of 300-1100 nm taken at room temperature.
TL;DR: It was found that average crystallite size, as calculated from Scherrer’s formula, increased from 23 to 33 nm as the deposition temperature was varied from 303 to 343 K, and the dislocation density and microstrain were found to vary inversely with the crystalliteSize, whereas the lattice constant was found to increase with an increase in crystallite Size.
Abstract: Nanocrystalline lead selenide (PbSe) thin films were prepared on glass substrates by a chemical bath deposition method, using sodium selenosulfate (Na2SeSO3) as a source of Se2− ions, and lead acetate as a source of Pb2+ ions. Trisodium citrate (TSC) was used as a complexing agent. PbSe films were prepared at various deposition temperatures while the pH value was kept fixed at 11, and the effect on the resulting film properties was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical absorption studies. The structural parameters, such as the lattice constant (a), crystallite size (D), dislocation density (ρ) and microstrain (e) were evaluated from the XRD spectra. It was found that average crystallite size, as calculated from Scherrer’s formula, increased from 23 to 33 nm as the deposition temperature was varied from 303 to 343 K. The dislocation density and microstrain were found to vary inversely with the crystallite size, whereas the lattice constant was found to increase with an increase in crystallite size. The optical absorption spectra of the nanocrystalline PbSe films showed a blue shift, and the optical band gap (Eg) was found to increase from 1.96 to 2.10 eV with the decrease in crystallite size.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors combined CdS semiconductor quantum dots and single-crystalline rutile TiO2 nanorod arrays to produce a practical quantum dot sensitized solar cell.
TL;DR: A single-source precursor for the chemical bath deposition of Sb (2)S(3) in nonaqueous media, Sb(III)(thioacetamide)(2)Cl(3), was synthesized and used to produce high-quality Sb
Abstract: Deposition of nanocrystalline Sb2S3 onto a mesoporous TiO2 photoanode is an important process in the fabrication of Sb2S3-sensitized solar cells. In order to generate oxide-free nanosized Sb2S3, a single-source precursor for the chemical bath deposition of Sb2S3 in nonaqueous media, Sb(III)(thioacetamide)2Cl3, was synthesized and used to produce high-quality Sb2S3 for solar cells.
TL;DR: In this article, a facile chemical solution method was reported for the first time to synthesize CdS/CdSe double-sensitized ZnO nanocable arrays.
Abstract: A facile chemical solution method was reported for the first time to synthesize CdS/CdSe double-sensitized ZnO nanocable arrays. In this method, CdS was prepared by chemical bath deposition method, and CdSe was formed on the surface of CdS via ion exchange reaction thereafter. Comprehensive characterization techniques were carried out to study the composition, microstructure, and crystallinity of the sensitization layers. The CdS/CdSe ratio was revealed to be controllable by varying the temperature of ion exchange reaction. It was further demonstrated that sensitization of ZnO nanorods with CdS and CdSe exhibited enhanced light-harvesting ability. The photovoltaic performance of the double-sensitized ZnO nanocables in photoelectrochemical solar cells was evaluated. An increase in short-circuit current and an improvement of power conversion efficiency to 3.23% were achieved. In addition, the formation mechanism of the double-sensitizing layer is discussed in the Article.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors report on the preparation as well as chemical, structural and physical characterization of the Mo/p-SnS/n-CdS/ZnO heterojunctions.
TL;DR: In this article, a supported TiO2 film was synthesized by sol-gel method and further sensitized by CdS nanoparticles using a sequential chemical bath deposition technique, and the degradation efficiency reached 92.8% and 32.7% under UV-vis and visible light irradiation, respectively.
Abstract: In this paper, TiO2 film coated on fiberglass cloth was synthesized by sol–gel method and further sensitized by CdS nanoparticles using a sequential chemical bath deposition technique. Gaseous benzene was adopted as a model pollutant to evaluate the photocatalytic performances of the supported TiO2 films sensitized with variable content of CdS nanoparticles, which obtained by adjusting the concentration of Cd2+ or S2− precursor solution. Along with the increase of the CdS amount, the photocatalytic activity of these samples initially increases and then shows a downward trend. When the concentration of Cd2+ or S2− precursor solution achieved 0.005 M, the sample performs the best photocatalytic property and the degradation efficiency reaches 92.8% and 32.7% under UV–vis and visible light irradiation, respectively. The enhancement of the photocatalytic activity could be attributed to the formation of micro-heterojunction. However, a thick CdS sheath covered catalyst surface will form when high concentration of Cd2+ or S2− solution is used. The low photogenerated electron–hole pairs separation efficiency and the photocorrosion process of CdS decrease the photocatalytic activity gradually.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors reported the successful application of ink-jet printing to the deposition of both continuous coatings and multi-filamentary structures of YBCO, achieving a Jc around 1.5?MA?cm?2 (self-field, 77?K).
Abstract: This paper reports the successful application of ink-jet printing to the deposition of both continuous coatings and multi-filamentary structures of YBCO. Stable inks have been prepared using both the established TFA-MOD route and novel fluorine-free precursors with appropriate rheological properties for ink-jet printing. Continuous and well textured coatings with lengths exceeding 100?m and a thickness of 0.5??m have been deposited by electromagnetic ink-jet printing from TFA precursors on LZO-buffered Ni?W substrates and samples have achieved a Jc around 1.5?MA?cm?2 (self-field, 77?K). On single crystal substrates, continuous coatings and multi-filamentary structures have been deposited using piezoelectric ink-jet printing both from TFA-?and water-based precursors, achieving Jc values up to 3?MA?cm?2.
TL;DR: In this paper, the effect of cell preparation on quantum dot-sensitized solar cells performance is analyzed, and the effect on the photovoltage, Voc, since this parameter conveys the main current limitation of QDSCs.
TL;DR: In this article, Ag2S quantum dots (QDs) were deposited on ordered TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNTAs) using a sequential chemical bath deposition (S-CBD) approach.
Abstract: Ag2S quantum dots (QDs) were deposited on ordered TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNTAs) using a sequential chemical bath deposition (S-CBD) approach. AgNO3 and thiourea were used as the precursor materials of Ag+ and S2− ions, respectively. The decoration of Ag2S QDs significantly shifted the absorption spectrum of the TNTAs to visible light region. As a result, Ag2S QDs-sensitized TNTAs exhibited much higher photocurrent density than pure TNTAs under visible light irradiation.
TL;DR: In this paper, the structure, surface morphology and optical properties of the SnS:Cu films were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and spectrophotometer measurements, respectively.
Abstract: SnS: Cu thin films have been successfully prepared on Pyrex substrates using low cost chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique with different copper doped concentration (y = [Cu]/[Sn] = 5%, 6%, 8%, 9% and 10%). The structure, the surface morphology and the optical properties of the SnS:Cu films were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and spectrophotometer measurements, respectively. To obtain a thickness of the order of 780 ± 31 nm for absorber material in solar cell devices, a system of multilayer has been prepared. It is found that the physical properties of tin sulphide are affected by Cu-doped concentration. In fact, X-ray diffraction study showed that better cristallinity in zinc blend structure with preferential orientations (111)ZB and (200)ZB, was obtained for y equal to 6%. According to the AFM analysis we can remark that low average surface roughness (RMS)value of SnS(ZB) thin film obtained with Cu-doped concentrations equal to y = 6%, is about of 54 nm. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) showed the existence of Cu in the films. Optical analyses by means of transmission T(λ) and reflection R(λ) measurements show 1.51 eV as a band gap value of SnS:Cu(6%) which is nearly equal to the theoretical optimum value of 1.50 eV for efficient light absorption. On the other hand, Cu-doped tin sulphide exhibits a high absorption coefficient up to 2 × 106 cm−1, indicating that SnS:Cu can be used as an absorber thin layer in photovoltaic structure such as SnS:Cu/ZnS/SnO2:F and SnS:Cu/In2S3/SnO2:F, where ZnS and In2S3 are chemically deposited in a previous studies.
TL;DR: In this article, ZnS thin films for antireflective applications were deposited on glass substrates by chemical bath deposition (CBD). Chemical analysis of the soluble species permits to predict the optimal pH conditions to obtain high quality zinc sulfide (ZnS) films.
TL;DR: In this article, the effects of concentration of tin salt, triethanolamine and bath temperature on the growth of tin sulphide films have been investigated in order to optimize the growth conditions to obtain tin monosulphide (SnS) films.
TL;DR: In this article, an iron selenide (FeSe) thin film was deposited on glass or indium doped tin oxide (ITO) coated glass substrates through chemical bath deposition process from a precursor complex, which was characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy and UV-vis spectroscopic techniques.
Abstract: Iron selenide (FeSe) thin film was deposited on glass or indium doped tin oxide (ITO) coated glass substrates through chemical bath deposition process from a precursor complex, [Fe 3 (μ 3 -O)(μ 2 -O 2 CCH 2 Cl) 6 (H 2 O) 3 ]NO 3 ·H 2 O and was characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy and UV–vis spectroscopic techniques. Structural analyses revealed that the FeSe film had spherical morphology with average diameter of 30 nm. The film was shown to possess peroxidase-like catalytic activity toward oxidation of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) in the presence of H 2 O 2 and followed Michaelis–Menten kinetics. It was exploited as a simple and cheap material in selective colorimetric method for detection and estimation of glucose in buffer solution. It gave a linear response to glucose over the concentration range from 2 × 10 −6 to 3 × 10 −5 M with a detection limit of 5 × 10 −7 M. Furthermore, the FeSe film, deposited on ITO, performed as good amperometric sensors for detection of H 2 O 2 . To compare the catalytic and sensing efficiency of the FeSe film, we have also prepared FeS film under similar conditions.
TL;DR: In this paper, the growth and characterizations of chemical bath deposited zinc sulfide (ZnS) thin films prepared at pH 10.2 were studied and it was revealed through field emission scanning electron microscopy studies that an increase in the concentration of Na 3 -citrate leads to an improvement of the uniformity of the ZnS thin films and decrease in the grain size.
TL;DR: In this paper, a resistive type relative humidity sensor based on CdS nanoparticles was synthesized using the chemical bath deposition (CBD) method using the drop-casting method.
Abstract: Resistive type relative humidity sensors based on CdS nanoparticles were synthesized using the chemical bath deposition (CBD) method. Using the drop-casting method, CdS nanoparticles were deposited between thermally evaporated gold electrodes separated by 17 μm with the electrodes having channel widths of 1400 μm and supported on a glass substrate with a thickness of 120 nm. The CdS nanoparticles were exposed to moisture to measure the change in electrical resistance. The resistance of the CdS sensor element changed by 3 orders of magnitude as the relative humidity of the test cell was varied between 17 and 85%. The experimental results demonstrate that CdS nanoparticles are very sensitive to changes in relative humidity and can be used as a sensing element for CdS-based humidity sensor applications.
TL;DR: In this article, the influence of the deposition temperatures and the concentration ratios of Na 2 S 2 O 3 /SnCl 2 on the morphologies, compositions and electrical and optical properties of Orthorhombic stannous sulfide (SnS) films were investigated.
TL;DR: In this paper, a ZnO nano-architecture with an appropriate free space between the NSs is demonstrated to facilitate poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) infiltration, resulting in superior interface properties, i.e., more efficient charge separation and less charge recombination.
Abstract: A ZnO nanoarchitecture, i.e., ZnO nanosheet (NS) framework, is demonstrated to be a promising electron acceptor and direct electron transport matrix for polymer-inorganic hybrid solar cells. The ZnO NS framework is constructed on nanoneedles/indium tin oxide substrate via a room-temperature chemical bath deposition (RT CBD). The framework morphology can be simply tailored by varying the concentration of precursor solution in the RT CBD. The ZnO nanoarchitecture with an appropriate free space between the NSs is consequently demonstrated to facilitate poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) infiltration, resulting in superior interface properties, i.e., more efficient charge separation and less charge recombination, in the hybrid. Moreover, apart from the characteristics similar to the ZnO nanorod (NR) array, including vertical feature and single crystalline structure, the ZnO NS framework exhibits a slightly larger absorption edge and a faster electron transport rate. A notable efficiency of 0.88% is therefore attained in the ZnO NS-P3HT hybrid solar cell, which is higher than that of the ZnO NR-P3HT hybrid solar cell.
TL;DR: In this paper, a simple and cost effective successive ionic layer absorption and reaction (SILAR) method was adopted for the first time to grow well oriented crystalline ZnO seed layer films.