• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.30 no.9
• /
• pp.441-446
• /
• 2020

Synthesizing nanostructured thin films of oxide semiconductors is a promising approach to fabricate highly efficient photoelectrodes for hydrogen production via photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. In this work, we investigate the feasibility as an efficient photoanode for PEC water oxidation of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructured thin films synthesized via a simple method combined with sputtering Zn metallic films on a fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrate and subsequent thermal oxidation of the sputtered Zn metallic films in dry air. Characterization of the structural, optical, and PEC properties of the ZnO nanostructured thin film synthesized at varying Zn sputtering powers reveals that we can obtain an optimum ZnO nanostructured thin film as PEC photoanode at a sputtering power of 40 W. The photocurrent density and optimal photocurrent conversion efficiency for the optimum ZnO nanostructured thin film photoanode are found to be 0.1 mA/㎠ and 0.51 %, respectively, at a potential of 0.72 V vs. RHE. Our results illustrate that the ZnO nanostructured thin film has promising potential as an efficient photoanode for PEC water splitting.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
• /
• v.32 no.6
• /
• pp.656-662
• /
• 2021

For the high efficiencies of quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSCs), it is important to control the severe electron recombination at the interface of photoanode/electrolyte. In this work, we optimize the surface passivation process of ZnS/SiO₂ double overlayers for the enhanced photovoltaic performances of QDSCs. The overlayers of zinc sulfide (ZnS) and SiO₂ are coated on the surface of QD-sensitized photoanode by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method, and sol-gel reaction, respectively. In particular, for the sol-gel reaction of SiO₂, the influences of temperature of precursor solution are investigated. By application of SiO₂ overlayers on the ZnS-coated photoanode, the conversion efficiency of QDSCs is increased from 5.04% to 7.35%. The impedance analysis reveals that the electron recombination at the interface of photoanode/electrolyte is obviously reduced by the SiO₂ overlayers.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.196-203
• /
• 2019

We report on the fabrication and characterization of an oxide photoanode with a zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod array embedded in cuprous oxide ($Cu_2O$) thin film, namely a $ZnO/Cu_2O$ oxide p-n heterostructure photoanode, for enhanced efficiency of visible light driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. A vertically oriented n-type ZnO nanorod array is first prepared on an indium-tin-oxide-coated glass substrate via a seed-mediated hydrothermal synthesis method and then a p-type $Cu_2O$ thin film is directly electrodeposited onto the vertically oriented ZnO nanorod array to form an oxide p-n heterostructure. The introduction of $Cu_2O$ layer produces a noticeable enhancement in the visible light absorption. From the observed PEC current density versus voltage (J-V) behavior under visible light illumination, the photoconversion efficiency of this $ZnO/Cu_2O$ p-n heterostructure photoanode is found to reach 0.39 %, which is seven times that of a pristine ZnO nanorod photoanode. In particular, a significant PEC performance is observed even at an applied bias of 0 V vs $Hg/Hg_2Cl_2$, which makes the device self-powered. The observed improvement in the PEC performance is attributed to some synergistic effect of the p-n bilayer heterostructure on the formation of a built-in potential including the light absorption and separation processes of photoinduced charge carriers, which provides a new avenue for preparing efficient photoanodes for PEC water splitting.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
• /
• v.52 no.1
• /
• pp.1-5
• /
• 2019

Anodic oxidized $TiO_2$ nanotube arrays are promising materials for application in photoelectrochemical solar cells as the photoanode, because of their attractive properties including slow electron recombination rate, superior light scattering, and smooth electrolyte diffusion. However, because of the opacity of these nanotube electrodes, the back-side illumination is inevitable for the application in solar cells. Therefore, for the fabrication of solar cells with the anodic oxidized nanotube electrodes, it is required to develop efficient and transparent counter electrodes. Here, we demonstrate quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSCs) based on the nanotube photoanode and transparent counter electrodes. The transparent counter electrodes based on Pt electrocatalysts were prepared by a simple thermal decomposition methods. The photovoltaic performances of QDSCs with nanotube photoanode were tested and optimized depending on the concentration of Pt precursor solutions for the preparation of counter electrodes.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
• /
• 2009.05a
• /
• pp.197-197
• /
• 2009

전기도금방법으로 여러형태의 ZnO 나노구조를 ITO/glass 위에 전착하였다. 그 중 sheet 형태의 ZnO 나노구조 위에 $TiO_2$와 CdSe 나노입자를 전기화학적 방법으로 전착하여 유 무기 복합태양전지 및 염료감응형 태양전지의 anode로 적용하였다. 동일조건 하에서 ZnO-CdSe 형태의 전극을 사용하였을 때 Jsc, Voc 값이 상대적으로 다른 전극에 비해 증가하였다.

• Rapid Communication in Photoscience
• /
• v.4 no.4
• /
• pp.82-85
• /
• 2015

Photoelectrochemical cell (PEC) is one of the attractive ways to produce clean and renewable energy. However, solar to hydrogen production via PEC system generally requires high external bias, because of material's innate electronic band potential relative to hydrogen reduction potential and/or charge separation issue. For spontaneous photo-water splitting, here, we design dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) and their monolithic tandem cell incorporated with a $BiVO_4$ photoanode. $BiVO_4$ has high conduction band edge potential and suitable band gap (2.4eV) to absorb visible light. To achieve efficient $BiVO_4$ photoanode system, electron and hole mobility should be improved, and we demonstrate a tandem cell in which $BiVO_4/WO_3$ film is connected to cobalt complex based DSSC.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
• /
• v.25 no.7
• /
• pp.558-562
• /
• 2012

As an alternative energy, Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have received much attention due to low cost manufacturing procedure and high energy consumption rate. Incorporating scattering centers in the nanocrystalline photoanode or additional scattering layers on the nanocrystalline photoanode is an effective way to enhance the light harvest efficiency of the photoanode and the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The light scattering abilities of these scattering layers also depend on the relative sizes and phase of the particles in the layers. A higher surface area is normally obtained using large particle sizes. Therefore, transparent high surface area $TiO_2$ layers and an additional scattering layer consisting of $TiO_2$-Rutile 500 nm paste with relatively larger particles are attractive. In this work, we investigates the applicability of a hybrid $TiO_2$ electrode (or a working electrode with a light scattering layer) in a DSSCs. We fabrication various thin film using $TiO_2$ paste 20 nm and $TiO_2$ paste 500 nm. As a result, the efficiency of the a single structure thin film was 3.35% and the efficiency as scattering layer of hybrid structure thin film was 4.36%, 4.73%.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.151-156
• /
• 2007

Solar cell and nanofiltration membrane were utilized in a system of enzymatic hydrogen production through light-sensitized photoanode, which resembles photoelectrochemical(PEC) configuration. Solar cell uses no additional light energy to increase energy for electrons to reduce protons and for holes to oxidize water to oxygen, and nanofiltration membrane replaces a salt bridge successfully with increased ion transport capability. With this system configuration, optimized amount of enzyme(10.98 unit), and an anodized tubular $TiO_2$ electrode($5^{\circ}C$/1 hr in 0.5 wt% HF-$650^{\circ}C$/5 hr) hydrogen evolved at a rate of ca. $43\;{\mu}mol/(cm^2{\times}hr)$ in a cathodic compartment and oxygen generated at a rate of ca. $20\;{\mu}mol/(cm^2{\times}hr)$ in an anodic compartment. The stoichiometric evolution of gases indicated that water was splitted in the system.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.40-45
• /
• 2007

Methylene blue(MB) was photocatalytically degraded with one-body photoanode and solar simulator to investigate the possible application to both environmental purification and photoelectrochemical cell for hydrogen production. Photoactive titanium dioxide was formed on both sides of Ti plate following steps such as rinsing-annealing-calcination or anodizing(20 V, 30 V)-annealing($350^{\circ}C$, $450^{\circ}C)$ after etching. The prepared titania plate($2cm{\times}2\;cm$, ca 1.6 mg $TiO_2$ on the basis of $1\;{\mu}m$ thickness) was used to degrade MB(10 ppm in 200 mL solution). The reaction tended to follow the Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetics with zero order. Comparative experiments with Degussa P25 showed the same zero order kinetics when 2 mg of P25 had been used, while the first order kinetics when 200 mg used. This concludes the feasibility of the prepared titania plate as a material for the purification of low-level harmful organics and an electrode or a membrane for photoelectrochemical system for hydrogen production.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.218-227
• /
• 2016

The light harvesting efficiency is counted as an important factor in the power conversion efficiency of DSSCs. There are two measures to improve this parameter, including enhancing the dye-loading capacity and increasing the light trapping in the photoanode structure. In this paper, these tasks are addressed by introducing a macro-porous silicon (PSi) substrate as photoanode. The effects of the novel photoanode structure on the DSSC performance have been investigated by using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, photocurrent-voltage, UV-visible spectroscopy, reflectance spectroscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. The results indicated that bigger porosity percentage of the PSi structure improved the both anti-reflective/light-trapping and dye-loading capacity properties. PSi based DSSCs own higher power conversion efficiency due to its remarkable higher photocurrent, open circuit voltage, and fill factor. Percent porosity of 64%, PSi(III), resulted in nearly 50 percent increment in power conversion efficiency compared with conventional DSSC. This paper showed that PSi can be a good candidate for the improvement of light harvesting efficiency in DSSCs. Furthermore, this study can be considered a valuable reference for more investigations in the design of multifunctional devices which will profit from integrated on-chip solar power.