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Investigation of the photoanode based on graphene/zinc aluminum mixed metal oxide for dye-sensitized solar cell

  • Original Paper: Sol–gel and hybrid materials for optical, photonic and optoelectronic applications
  • Published:
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Abstract

In this study, zinc aluminum layered double hydroxide (ZnAl-LDH) with a Zn/Al molar ratio 8/1 was synthesized via a facile urea method, and the mixed metal oxide (MMO) was prepared using the corresponding LDH as a precursor. In order to improve the performance of electron transport layer, we introduced graphene into ZnAl-MMO to prepare new nanocomposites, ZnAl-MMO/graphene, as promising photoanodes for dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). The bare ZnAl-MMO and formed ZnAl-MMO/graphene nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectra, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and UV–vis absorption spectrum, confirming the presence of graphene and the wurtzite type phase of ZnO. A series of DSSC were fabricated by the corresponding nanocomposites and a D205 as dye. The photovoltaic behavior of these cells based on different graphene concentration was further investigated by electrochemical method. It turned out that the introduced graphene facilitated the dye adsorption and light-scattering, which heightened the performance of DSSC. The DSSC based on ZnAl-MMO/0.2 wt.% graphene reached the best power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 0.51%, showing a rise of 25% approximately when compared with plain ZnAl-MMO.

Highlights

  • The ZnAl-LDH worked as the precursor of the MMO.

  • Graphene/ZnAl-MMO were used as photoanode for DSSC.

  • The incorporation of graphene enhanced the PCE of DSSC.

  • The cell of ZnAl-MMO/0.2wt.% graphene reached the best PCE.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Key Research and Development Plan of Shandong Province, China (2018GGX102014), the Major Program of Shandong Province Natural Science Foundation, China (ZR2019ZD43), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51372141 and 11564020).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Physics, Shandong University, 250100, Jinan, PR China

    Zhongwei Ge, Yatong Zhu, Chenglei Wang & Jianqiang Liu

  2. School of Physics and Electrical Engineering, Kashgar University, 844000, Kashgar, PR China

    Lixin Xia, Liang Guo, Yunhu Wu & Jianqiang Liu

Authors
  1. Zhongwei Ge
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  2. Yatong Zhu
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  3. Chenglei Wang
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  4. Lixin Xia
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  5. Liang Guo
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  6. Yunhu Wu
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  7. Jianqiang Liu
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Correspondence to Jianqiang Liu.

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Ge, Z., Zhu, Y., Wang, C. et al. Investigation of the photoanode based on graphene/zinc aluminum mixed metal oxide for dye-sensitized solar cell. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 95, 432–438 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-020-05310-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-020-05310-2

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