Hydrothermal synthesis and solar cell application studies of nickel doped zinc oxide nanocomposites

Abstract

Nickel doped Zinc Oxide nanoparticles are synthesised via hydrothermal technique at three different temperatures. XRD analysis shows a decrease in grain size with doping at low temperature and an increase in crystallite size at high temperature. Nano flowers and a mixture of rods and sheets are observed in SEM images. Zinc Oxide nanorods wrapped with Nickel Oxide nano thread and spider web like structures are clearly visible in TEM micrographs. Doping introduced defects in composites which enhanced UV and visible absorption. Composite with an excellent photo absorption property and a noted thermal stability is chosen for fabricating solar cell devices by spin coating and doctor blade techniques which delivered a power conversion efficiency of 3.96% and 2.32% respectively.