title: Photoelectrochemical properties of mesoporous NiO x deposited on technical FTO via nanopowder sintering in conventional and plasma atmospheres.
abstract: Nanoporous nickel oxide (NiO x ) has been deposited with two different procedures of sintering (CS and RDS). Both samples display solid state oxidation at about 3.1 V vs Li+/Li. Upon sensitization of CS/RDS NiO x with erythrosine b (ERY), nickel oxide oxidation occurs at the same potential. Impedance spectroscopy revealed a higher charge transfer resistance for ERY-sensitized RDS NiO x with respect to sensitized CS NiO x . This was due to the chemisorption of a larger amount of ERY on RDS with respect to CS NiO x . Upon illumination the photoinduced charge transfer between ERY layer and NiO x could be observed only with oxidized CS. Photoelectrochemical effects of sensitized RDS NiO x were evidenced upon oxide reduction. With the addition of iodine RDS NiOx electrodes could give the reduction iodine → iodide in addition to the reduction of RDS NiO x . p-type dye sensitized solar cells were assembled with RDS NiO x photocathodes sensitized either by ERY or Fast Green. Resulting overall efficiencies ranged between 0.02 and 0.04 % upon irradiation with solar spectrum simulator (I in: 0.1 W cm(-2)).
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Engineering, "King Abdulaziz" University, Rabigh, KSA.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Awais
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Denis D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Dowling
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Rome "La Sapienza", P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Decker
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Rome "La Sapienza", P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Danilo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dini
keywords: Dye-sensitized solar cell; FTO; Nanopowder; Nickel oxide; Solar conversion; electrochemistry; p-type semiconductor