Ga-modified Nanostructured Zno: Characterization And Application In Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

Abstract

ZnO has received great attention in many applications due to its electronic and optical properties. We report on the preparation of ZnO and gallium-containing ZnO (ZnO:Ga) nanoparticles by the precipitation method. The nanoparticles have the wurtzite structure and a high crystallinity. Gallium ions are present as Ga 3+, as evidenced by the binding energies through XPS. Porosity and surface area of the powder increased under increasing gallium level, explained by the smaller particle size of ZnO:Ga samples compared with ZnO. The estimated optical band gap of ZnO was 3.2 eV, comparable to ZnO:Ga.591-5931317O'Regan, B., Grätzel, M., (1991) Nature, 353, p. 737Kroon, J.M., Bakker, N.J., Smit, H.J.P., Liska, P., Thampi, K.R., Wang, P., Zakeeruddin, S.M., Tulloch, G.E., (2007) Progress in Photovoltaics, 15, p. 1Ma, T., Akiyama, M., Abe, E., Imai, I., (2005) Nano Lett, 5, p. 2543Ko, K.H., Lee, Y.C., Jung, Y.J., (2005) J. Colloid: Interface Sci, 283, p. 482Kakiuchi, K., Hosono, E., Fujihara, S., (2006) J. Photochem. Photobiol., A, 179, p. 81Keis, K., Vayssieres, L., Rensmo, H., Lindquist, S.-E., Hagfeldt, A., (2001) J. Electrochem. Soc, 148, pp. A149Gonçalves, A.S., Lima, S.A.M., Davolos, M.R., Antônio, S.G., Paiva-Santos, C.O., (2006) J. Solid State Chem, 179, p. 1330Roberts, N., Wang, R.P., Sleight, A.W., Warren, W.W., (1998) Phys. Rev. B, 57, p. 573