Nanostructured hybrid ZnO thin films for energy conversion

Abstract

We report on hybrid films based on ZnO/organic dye prepared by electrodeposition using tetrasulfonated copper phthalocyanines (TS-CuPc) and Eosin-Y (EoY). Both the morphology and porosity of hybrid ZnO films are highly dependent on the type of dyes used in the synthesis. High photosensitivity was observed for ZnO/EoY films, while a very weak photoresponse was obtained for ZnO/TS-CuPc films. Despite a higher absorption coefficient of TSCuPc than EoY, in ZnO/EoY hybrid films, the excited photoelectrons between the EoY levels can be extracted through ZnO, and the porosity of ZnO/EoY can also be controlled. © 2011 Moya et al. ; This study was supported by the Spanish Government through MCINN grant MAT2009-14625-C03-03, the Generalitat Valenciana through programme PROMETEO/2009/063, and the Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (Portugal). Thanks are due to Susie Pannell for critically reading the manuscript and providing invaluable suggestions. ; Moya Forero, MM.; ANURA SAMANTILLEKE; Mollar García, MA.; Marí Soucase, B. (2011). Nanostructured hybrid ZnO thin films for energy conversion. Nanoscale Research Letters. 6:384-389. https://doi.org/10.1186/1556-276X-6-384 ; S ; 384 ; 389 ; 6 ; ZHENG, H., PAN, Y., & XIANG, X. (2007). Oxidation of acidic dye Eosin Y by the solar photo-Fenton processes. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 141(3), 457-464. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2006.12.018 ; Qazi, S. J. S., Rennie, A. R., Cockcroft, J. K., & Vickers, M. (2009). Use of wide-angle X-ray diffraction to measure shape and size of dispersed colloidal particles. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 338(1), 105-110. doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2009.06.006