Improved Photoelectrochemical Cell Performance of Tin Oxide with Functionalized Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes-Cadmium Selenide Sensitizer.
Here we report functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNTs)-CdSe nanocrystals (NCs) as photosensitizer in photoelectrochemical cells, where f-MWCNTs were uniformly coated with CdSe NCs onto SnO2 upright standing nanosheets by using a simple electrodeposition method. The resultant blended photoanodes demonstrate extraordinary electrochemical properties including higher Stern-Volmer constant, higher absorbance, and positive quenching, etc., caused by more accessibility of CdSe NCs compared with pristine SnO2-CdSe photoanode. Atomic and weight percent changes of carbon with f-MWCNTs blending concentrations were confirmed from the energy dispersive X-ray analysis. The morphology images show a uniform coverage of CdSe NCs over f-MWCNTs forming a core-shell type structure as a blend. Compared to pristine CdSe, photoanode with f-MWCNTs demonstrated a 257% increase in overall power conversion efficiency. Obtained results were corroborated by the electrochemical impedance analysis. Higher scattering, more accessibility, and hierarchical structure of SnO2-f-MWCNTs-blend-CdSe NCs photoanode is responsible for higher (a) electron mobility (6.89 × 10(-4) to 10.89 × 10(-4) cm(2) V(-1) S(1-)), (b) diffusion length (27 × 10(-6)),
Center for Nanomaterials and Energy Devices, Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University , Dnyanteerth, Vishnupuri, Nanded 431606, India.
Sambhaji S
SS
Bhande
School of Semiconductor and Chemical Engineering, Chonbuk National University , 664-14, 1-ga Deokjin-dong, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, Jeonbuk 561-756, Republic of Korea.
Rohan B
RB
Ambade
Department of Chemistry, Hanyang University , , Seongdong-gu, Haengdang-dong 17, Seoul 133-791, Republic of Korea.
Dipak V
DV
Shinde
School of Semiconductor and Chemical Engineering, Chonbuk National University , 664-14, 1-ga Deokjin-dong, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, Jeonbuk 561-756, Republic of Korea.
Swapnil B
SB
Ambade
Department of Chemistry, Hanyang University , , Seongdong-gu, Haengdang-dong 17, Seoul 133-791, Republic of Korea.
Supriya A
SA
Patil
Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Bld-5, King Saud University , Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Mu
M
Naushad
Center for Nanomaterials and Energy Devices, Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University , Dnyanteerth, Vishnupuri, Nanded 431606, India.|Department of Chemistry, Hanyang University , , Seongdong-gu, Haengdang-dong 17, Seoul 133-791, Republic of Korea.
Rajaram S
RS
Mane
Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Bld-5, King Saud University , Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Z A
ZA
Alothman
School of Semiconductor and Chemical Engineering, Chonbuk National University , 664-14, 1-ga Deokjin-dong, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, Jeonbuk 561-756, Republic of Korea.
Soo-Hyoung
SH
Lee
Department of Chemistry, Hanyang University , , Seongdong-gu, Haengdang-dong 17, Seoul 133-791, Republic of Korea.
Sung-Hwan
SH
Han
SnO2−CdSe; SnO2−CdSe-MWCNTs; dye-sensitized solar cell; functionalized MWCNTs; photoanodes