Facile, rapid and in-situ synthesis of ZnO nanoparticle films on Zn wires for fiber dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

Here we first in-situ deposited ZnO nanoparticle films on Zn wires by hydrothermal growth in aqueous alkaline (NH4)2S2O8 solutions, which were further developed as a novel type of fiber dye-sensitized solar cells. The ZnO nanoparticle films were synthesized very rapidly by only one-step. When the reaction time of ZnO nanoparticle films was 0.5h, the power conversion efficiency of fiber dye-sensitized solar cells up to 0.975% was obtained under standard AM 1.5G illumination (100mW/cm2). As the reaction time went on, the ZnO nanoparticles grew larger and the total special surface area decreased, which resulted in lower power conversion efficiency. When the longer nanowire arrays deposited on the nanoparticle layers, they could absorb more dye molecules, but they enhanced charge recombination. Therefore, we can rapidly in-situ deposit ZnO nanoparticle films with larger special surface area on Zn wires for efficiency fiber dye-sensitized solar cells.