One-step electrodeposition of ZnO/graphene composite film as photoanode for dye-sensitised solar cells

Abstract

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures are commonly used as semiconductor films for the photoanodes of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). However, the photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of DSSCs with ZnO photoanode was compromised by the instability of the physical and chemical properties of ZnO. In this paper, ZnO-reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composite photoanodes were obtained by a one-step electrodeposition method, and the photoelectric performance of the assembled DSSCs were measured. By comparing the PCE and other photoelectric parameters of the DSSCs constructed by the ZnO-rGO photoanodes deposited under different deposition potentials and times, the DSSCs achieved the best performance with the photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE), open circuit voltage (Voc), short-circuit current density (Jsc), and fill factor (FF) of 1.07%, 386.15 mV, 4.65 mA cm −2 , and 0.59, respectively. • We report a one-step electrodeposition method for preparing ZnO-rGO composite. • The photoelectric properties of ZnO-rGO composite photoanodes are higher than ZnO. • The electrodeposition of ZnO was carried out simultaneously with reduction of GO.