title: Ultra-fast microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of long vertically aligned ZnO nanowires for dye-sensitized solar cell application.
abstract: Long vertically aligned ZnO nanowire arrays were synthesized using an ultra-fast microwave-assisted hydrothermal process. Using this method, we were able to grow ZnO nanowire arrays at an average growth rate as high as 200 nm min(-1) for maximum microwave power level. This method does not suffer from the growth stoppage problem at long growth times that, according to our investigations, a normal microwave-assisted hydrothermal method suffers from. Longitudinal growth of the nanowire arrays was investigated as a function of microwave power level and growth time using cross-sectional FESEM images of the grown arrays. Effect of seed layer on the alignment of nanowires was also studied. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed c-axis orientation and single-phase wurtzite structure of the nanowires. J-V curves of the fabricated ZnO nanowire-based mercurochrome-sensitized solar cells indicated that the short-circuit current density is increased with increasing the length of the nanowire array. According to the UV-vis spectra of the dyes detached from the cells, these increments were mainly attributed to the enlarged internal surface area and therefore dye loading enhancement in the lengthened nanowire arrays.
authors.affiliation: Semiconductor Research Lab, Department of Electrical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran. engsmm@aut.ac.ir
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Mahpeykar
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Koohsorkhi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ghafoori-Fard
mesh_terms: D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008422:Materials Testing; D008872:Microwaves; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D012993:Solar Energy; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D014867:Water; D015034:Zinc Oxide