Formation of branched ZnO nanowires from solvothermal method and dye-sensitized solar cells applications

Abstract

Branched ZnO nanowires have been fabricated on conductive glass substrates via a solvothermal method for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). The ID branched nanostructures can afford a direct conduction pathway instead of interparticle hops while using nanoparticles. Furthermore, the short-circuit current density and the energy conversion efficiency of the branched ZnO nanowire DSCs are 4.27 mA/cm2 and 1.51%, which are twice as high as the bare ZnO nanowire ones. The improvement was a consequence of the enlargement of the internal surface area within the photoelectrode and allowed us to achieve higher dye adsorption to significantly enhance the performance of the DSCs. © 2008 American Chemical Society.