A Facile Self-assembly Synthesis of Hexagonal ZnO Nanosheet Films and Their Photoelectrochemical Properties.

Bin Zhang,Faze Wang,Maojun Zheng,Qiang Li,Changqing Zhu,Wenzhong Shen,Li Ma,Jingnan Song

doi:10.1007/s40820-015-0068-y

Abstract

Here, large-scale and uniform hexagonal zinc oxide (ZnO) nanosheet films were deposited onto indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated transparent conducting glass substrates via a facile galvanic displacement deposition process. Compared with other commonly used solution methods, this process avoids high temperature and electric power as well as supporting agents to make it simple and cost-effective. The as-fabricated ZnO nanosheet films have uniform hexagonal wurtzite structure. The photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell based on ZnO nanosheet film/ITO photoelectrode was also fabricated and its performance was improved by optimizing the solution concentration. A higher photocurrent density of ~500 μA cm−2 under AM 1.5 G simulated illumination of 100 mW cm−2 with zero bias potential (vs. Ag/AgCl electrode) was obtained, which may ascribe to the increased surface-to-volume ratio of disordered ZnO nanosheet arrays. Our developed method may be used to deposit other oxide semiconductors, and the ZnO nanosheet film/ITO PEC cell can be used to design low-cost optoelectronic and photoelectrochemical devices.

Highlights

IntroductionThere has been an increasing scientific interest in oxide semiconductors (such as TiO2, zinc oxide (ZnO), Fe2O3, CuO, NiO, and so on) [1,2,3], because of their numerous potential technological applications, including photovoltaic device [4], lithium ion battery [5], photocatalysis, and optoelectronic device [6, 7]
Over the past decades, there has been an increasing scientific interest in oxide semiconductors [1,2,3], because of their numerous potential technological applications, including photovoltaic device [4], lithium ion battery [5], photocatalysis, and optoelectronic device [6, 7]
The Al sheet was immerged into A cell solution and the indium tin oxide (ITO) glass was immerged into B cell solution without stirring and oxygen gas bubbling at room temperature

Summary

Introduction

There has been an increasing scientific interest in oxide semiconductors (such as TiO2, ZnO, Fe2O3, CuO, NiO, and so on) [1,2,3], because of their numerous potential technological applications, including photovoltaic device [4], lithium ion battery [5], photocatalysis, and optoelectronic device [6, 7]. ZnO and other nanostructured materials have been assembled and studied by various methods and means [19,20,21,22], including magnetron sputtering [23], chemical vapor deposition [24], hydrothermal process [25], electrochemical deposition [26,27,28], electroless deposition [29, 30], and other combination of methods [31]. Among all these techniques, electroless deposition presents several. ZnO nanosheet film/ITO PEC cell and its photoelectrochemical property were investigated

Synthesis of the ZnO Nanosheet Films

Characterization

PEC Cell Preparation and PEC Characterization

Results and Discussion

Conclusion