Branched ZnO nanowires for enhancing energy conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

Branched ZnO nanowires have been fabricated on conductive glass substrates via a solvothermal method for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). The one-dimensional branched nanostructures can afford a direct conduction pathway instead of interparticle hops while using nanoparticles. Furthermore, the short-circuit current density and the energy conversion efficiency of the branched ZnO nanowire DSCs are 4.27 mA/cm² and 1.51%, which are twice higher than the bare ZnO nanowire ones. The improvement was consequent on the enlargement of internal surface area within the photoelectrode and achieving higher dye adsorption to significantly enhance the performance of the DSCs.