Consequences of changes in the ZnO trap distribution on the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells

Influence of Redox Couple on the Performance of ZnO Dye Solar Cells and Minimodules with Benzothiadiazole-Based Photosensitizers

ZnO-based dye-sensitized solar cells exhibit lower efficiencies than TiO₂-based systems despite advantageous charge transport dynamics and versatility in terms of synthesis methods, which can be primarily ascribed to compatibility issues of ZnO with the dyes and the redox couples originally optimized for TiO₂. We evaluate the performance of solar cells based on ZnO nanomaterial prepared by microwave-assisted solvothermal synthesis, using three fully organic benzothiadiazole-based dyes YKP-88, YKP-137, and MG-207, and alternative electrolyte solutions with the I^-/I₃ ^-, Co(bpy)₃ ^2+/3+, and Cu(dmp)₂ ^1+/2+ redox couples. The best cell performance is achieved for the dye-redox couple combination YKP-88 and Co(bpy)₃ ^2+/3+, reaching an average efficiency of 4.7% and 5.0% for the best cell, compared to 3.7% and 3.9% for the I^-/I₃ ^- couple with the same dye. Electrical impedance spectroscopy highlights the influence of dye and redox couple chemistry on the balance of recombination and regeneration kinetics. Combined with the effects of the interaction of the redox couple with the ZnO surface, these aspects are shown to determine the solar cell performance. Minimodules based on the best systems in both parallel and series configurations reach 1.5% efficiency for an area of 23.8 cm².

g-C3N4 Sensitized by an Indoline Dye for Photocatalytic H2 Evolution

Protonated g-C3N4 (pCN) formed by treating bulk g-C3N4 with an aqueous HCl solution was modified with D149 dye, i.e., 5-[[4[4-(2,2-diphenylethenyl) phenyl]-1,2,3,3a,4,8b-hexahydrocyclopent[b]indol-7-yl] methylene]-2-(3-ethyl-4-oxo-2-thioxo-5-thiazolidinylidene)-4-oxo-thiazolidin-2-ylidenerhodanine, for photocatalytic water splitting (using Pt as a co-catalyst). The D149/pCN-Pt composite showed a much higher rate (2138.2 µmol·h−1·g−1) of H2 production than pCN-Pt (657.0 µmol·h−1·g−1). Through relevant characterization, the significantly high activity of D149/pCN-Pt was linked to improved absorption of visible light, accelerated electron transfer, and more efficient separation of charge carriers. The presence of both D149 and Pt was found to be important for these factors. A mechanism was proposed.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Three-Dimensional Structure Generation of Zinc Oxide-Based Nanomedicine for Biomedical Applications

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles have been studied as metal-based drugs that may be used for biomedical applications due to the fact of their biocompatibility. Their physicochemical properties, which depend on synthesis techniques involving physical, chemical, biological, and microfluidic reactor methods affect biological activity in vitro and in vivo. Advanced tool-based physicochemical characterization is required to identify the biological and toxicological effects of ZnO nanoparticles. These nanoparticles have variable morphologies and can be molded into three-dimensional structures to enhance their performance. Zinc oxide nanoparticles have shown therapeutic activity against cancer, diabetes, microbial infection, and inflammation. They have also shown the potential to aid in wound healing and can be used for imaging tools and sensors. In this review, we discuss the synthesis techniques, physicochemical characteristics, evaluation tools, techniques used to generate three-dimensional structures, and the various biomedical applications of ZnO nanoparticles.

Diverging surface reactions at TiO2- or ZnO-based photoanodes in dye-sensitized solar cells

Surface reactions of electrolyte additives and consequences for cell properties are studied and assigned to characteristics specific for both semiconductors.