Chao Zhu

Enhanced photocatalytic performance of TiO2-ZnO hybrid nanostructures

We studied the photocatalytic properties of rational designed TiO2-ZnO hybrid nanostructures, which were fabricated by the site-specific deposition of amorphous TiO2 on the tips of ZnO nanorods. Compared with the pure components of ZnO nanorods and amorphous TiO2 nanoparticles, these TiO2-ZnO hybrid nanostructures demonstrated a higher catalytic activity. The strong green emission quenching observed from photoluminescence of TiO2-ZnO hybrid nanostructures implied an enhanced charge transfer/separation process resulting from the novel type II heterostructures with fine interfaces. The catalytic performance of annealing products with different TiO2 phase varied with the annealing temperatures. This is attributed to the combinational changes in Eg of the TiO2 phase, the specific surface area and the quantity of surface hydroxyl groups.

Solid‐State Synthesis of ZnO Nanostructures for Quasi‐Solid Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells with High Efficiencies up to 6.46%

Solid-state synthesis of ZnO nanostructured building blocks is presented in this work for the fabrication of high efficiency quasi-solid dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The sponge-like photoanode has high optical density and better connections. Baking the photoanode at low temperature, photoconversion efficiencies of up to 6.46% are yielded by the quasi-solid DSSCs. Furthermore, we demonstrate better stability of our ZnO quasi-solid DSSCs.

Optimizing nanosheet-based ZnO hierarchical structure through ultrasonic-assisted precipitation for remarkable photovoltaic enhancement in quasi-solid dye-sensitized solar cells

For ZnO hierarchical structures composed of interlaced nanosheets, it has been proved that they are more favorable for electron transportation in the photoanodes of ZnO-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). Here, we introduce ultrasonic-assisted precipitation for fabricating novel nanosheet-based ZnO hierarchical flowers (HFs) in aqueous solution. With the powerful ultrasound irradiation, these nanosheets on the HFs are not only interlaced and monocrystalline, but also axially oriented, porous and ultrathin. Furthermore, broad channels enclosed by adjacent nanosheets can deeply extend into the inner parts of the HFs. Structural improvements reveal that the specific area of the novel HFs as well as their performances on light-capturing and electron transport have been largely improved compared with those prepared through direct precipitation. Remarkably, when assembled into quasi-solid DSCs, ZnO HF photoanodes show a high conversion efficiency up to 6.19% (under AM 1.5, 100 mW cm−2 illumination), the highest record of quasi-solid ZnO-based DSCs up to now.

Cost-effective and morphology-controllable niobium diselenides for highly efficient counter electrodes of dye-sensitized solar cells

Developing Pt-free and highly efficient counter electrodes (CEs) is meaningful and necessary for the cost reduction of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). In this work, via a facile and reductant-free solvothermal approach, we report the controllable synthesis of NbSe2 nanosheets (NSs), nanorods (NRs), as well as the composite NbSe2/C for use as CEs in high efficiency DSCs. The morphology and structure of the three samples were characterized by SEM, XRD and TEM. Meanwhile, by cyclic voltammetry measurements, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and Tafel polarization, we found some key issues which explain the difference in their electrocatalytic activity in the reduction of triiodide (I3−). Compared with electrodes based on NbSe2 NRs, NbSe2 NS-based CEs demonstrated lower resistances in charge transfer and ionic diffusion. Subsequently, DSCs with NbSe2 NS-based CEs achieved a conversion efficiency of 7.34%. In addition, NbSe2/C composite-based CEs could further reduce the series resistance and finally a conversion efficiency of 7.80% was obtained, comparable to an efficiency of 7.90% for Pt-based CEs. The NbSe2 in our work provides a cost-effective CE alternative to the noble metal Pt in DSCs.

Interlaced W18O49 nanofibers as a superior catalyst for the counter electrode of highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cells

Sufficient contact, high catalytic activity, free electron transport and ionic diffusion are desired for liquid–solid heterogeneous electrocatalysis. However, preparing catalysts that simultaneously possess all of these four advantages has proven challenging. Nanostructures originating from anisotropic growth always exhibit specific structural advantages and unique physical, chemical or catalytic properties. Herein, via a facile and template-free solvothermal approach, we synthesized W18O49 nanofibers (NFs) and nanofiber bundles (NFBs), as well as hierarchical spheres (HSs). As catalyst for the counter electrode (CE) of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs), W18O49 NFs demonstrated remarkable electrocatalytic activity because: (i) abundant oxygen vacancies offered sufficient active sites for reduction of I3− into I−; (ii) the one dimensional NFs were more beneficial to electron transport; (iii) the two phases, the liquid electrolyte and the solid NFs, could fully contact each other, and meanwhile ions could diffuse freely among the networks constructed by the interlaced NFs. Notably, DSCs using the NF-based semitransparent CE achieved high photoelectric conversion efficiencies (PCEs) up to 8.58%, superior to those based on NFBs or HSs, and comparable to that of 8.78% using Pt as the CE. Furthermore, it was proven that both the electrolytic activity and the PCE deteriorated drastically when the NFs were destroyed. Our work here will be of great interest for both fundamental research and practical applications of W18O49 nanomaterials in other fields.

Asymmetric ZnO Panel-Like Hierarchical Architectures with Highly Interconnected Pathways for Free-Electron Transport and Photovoltaic Improvements

Through a rapid and template-free precipitation approach, we synthesized an asymmetric panel-like ZnO hierarchical architecture (PHA) for photoanodes of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). The two sides of the PHA are constructed differently using densely interconnected, mono-crystalline and ultrathin ZnO nanosheets. By mixing these PHAs with ZnO nanoparticles (NPs), we developed an effective and feasible strategy to improve the electrical transport and photovoltaic performance of the composite photoanodes of DSCs. The highly crystallized and interconnected ZnO nanosheets largely minimized the total grain boundaries within the composite photoanodes and thus served as direct pathways for the transport and effective collection of free electrons. Through low-temperature (200 °C) annealing, these novel composite photoanodes achieved high conversion efficiencies of up to 5.59% for ZnO-based quasi-solid DSCs.

Negative Quantum Capacitance Induced by Midgap States in Single-layer Graphene

We demonstrate that single-layer graphene (SLG) decorated with a high density of Ag adatoms displays the unconventional phenomenon of negative quantum capacitance. The Ag adatoms act as resonant impurities and form nearly dispersionless resonant impurity bands near the charge neutrality point (CNP). Resonant impurities quench the kinetic energy and drive the electrons to the Coulomb energy dominated regime with negative compressibility. In the absence of a magnetic field, negative quantum capacitance is observed near the CNP. In the quantum Hall regime, negative quantum capacitance behavior at several Landau level positions is displayed, which is associated with the quenching of kinetic energy by the formation of Landau levels. The negative quantum capacitance effect near the CNP is further enhanced in the presence of Landau levels due to the magnetic-field-enhanced Coulomb interactions.

A green route and rational design for ZnO-based high-efficiency photovoltaics

In this work, at room-temperature and without any organic surfactants we reported two green and facile approaches for rapid synthesis of ZnO nanorods (NRs) and nanosheet-based ZnO hierarchical structures (NSHSs). Based on their structural advantages, the quasi-solid ZnO-DSCs achieved a record photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of 6.83%.

Carbon-assisted nucleation and vertical growth of high-quality ZnO nanowire arrays

We developed a carbon-assisted physical-vapor-deposition method for the growth of highly aligned ZnO nanowire arrays on any flat substrates in large area. Amorphous carbon (a-C) films acted as the preferential nucleation sites to facilitate the growth of high-quality ZnO nanowire array patterns. The ultrathin a-C films can effectively retard the inclined growth of ZnO nanowires at the edge of the a-C patterns. The investigations of the nanowire structures, photoluminescence and electrical transport properties have shown that the ZnO nanowires were well crystallized and the formation of defects in the nanowires was largely suppressed.

Correlation between the morphology and performance enhancement of ZnO hierarchical flower photoanodes in quasi-solid dye-sensitized solar cells

We report an effective method for mass production of ZnO hierarchical flowers (HFs) that are constructed by interlaced single crystalline ZnO nanosheets with dominant surfaces of {1120} and {1100}. The size of ZnO HFs, thickness and parking density of the nanosheets, and HF inner porosity can be tuned by changing the synthesis conditions. The HFs containing porous inner structures showed an excellent performance as the photoanode material in quasi-solid (using polymer gel electrolytes) dyesensitized solar cells (DSCs) because of their superior optical and electrical properties. The high current density (10.26mAcm-2) and efficiency (4.93%) of the HF-based DSCs indicate a great potential for the development of high-efficient quasi-solid DSCs.