Organic-Inorganic Solar Cell Based on Sprayed MEH-PPV/ZnO Nanorods Layers

Abstract

Zinc oxide layer have been prepared by spray pyrolysis technique. The effect of substrate temperature on structural and optical properties of the prepared layer has been investigated. XRD patterns show that ZnO layers are polycrystalline with (002) plane as preferential orientation. FESM images show that ZnO layeres consist of nanorods. Semi-conducting MEH-PPV polymer, which prepared in our lab, was dissolved in THF and sprayed on glass and KBr substrates at 150 oC with two different carrier gases. Organic-inorganic solar cell from MEH-PPV with ZnO nanorods layers was constructed, characterized and its efficiency was calculated.

Synthesis and Characterization of MEH-PPV for Solar Cell Application

“…It can be seen that the solar cell shows a fill factor of about 53%, resulting in a power conversion efficiency of η=0.217. The observed PCE displayed an improved performance compared to our previous device made from sprayed MEH-PPV polymer on sprayed ZnO nanorod/TCO glass (6) . This observed improvement is correlated with the improved electron transport, due to the smallest diameter of nanowires that lead to more transparent channels from ZnO materials that offer enhanced interface areas for carrier separation, improved optical light trapping compared to in case of sprayed nanorods.…”

“…The bands at 1250 and 1312 cm -1 arose from the ether C-O stretch. Absorption bands at 2856, 2910, 2956, and 3057 cm -1 were CH 2 , CH, asymmetric CH 3 , and aromatic CH stretch, respectively (6) . …”

“…Solar cells based on nanostructured materials have recently attracted considerable interest as they improve optical light trapping, offer enhanced interface areas for carrier separation, and very simple fabrication procedures [5,6] . Incorporation of nanowires into this type of solar cell holds promise to improve the charge carrier transport for at least one carrier type.…”

“…The absorber polymeric layer that dissolved in THF is deposited on n-type ZnO nanowires, which provide a fast electron pathway to the SnO 2 :F substrate. The polymer layers deposition processes are carried out at temperatures below 150 o C.The constructed solar cell is characterized and its efficiency is compared with that published from our previous results that have the same structure but replaces ZnO nanowires by sprayed ZnO nanorods (6) .…”

“…To test our polymer as an active layer for organic-inorganic solar cell, the best polymer film based on the type of the solvent was deposited onto the ZnO nanowires layer that was prepared by two steps method onto the FTO glass substrate. Current density-voltage (J-V) measurementsof the constructed solar cell were characterized using a Keighley 4200 source measurement unit (Keighley, USA) under simulated 100 mW/cm 2 (AM 1.5 G) irradiation from a Newport solar simulator and the cell efficiency was calculated and compared with the efficiency of our previous solar cell (6) , that have the same structure, but replaces ZnO nanowires by sprayed ZnO nanorods.…”