Abstract

Supriyono^1,2, Ahmad Zakaria¹, Yuni Krisyuningsih Krisnandi² and Jarnuzi Gunlazuardi²

DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.13005/ojc/330515

The effect of PbS/Pb_0.05Cd_0.95S/CdS co-sensitization on the quantum dot-sensitized solar cell performance have been investigated.  In this research, a TiO₂ nanoparticles was prepared by a sol gel method and immobilized to the FTO (fluorine tin oxide) substrate by dip coating technique. The formation of PbS, Pb_0.05Cd_0.95S, and CdS quantum dots (QDs) sensitized TiO₂ photoelectrode was carried out by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. The as-prepared materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Our photoelectrochemical evaluation indicated that the photocurrent of PbS/Pb_0.05Cd_0.95S/CdS multiple semiconductor (0.363 mA/cm²) is higher than the CdS single sensitizer (0.190 mA/cm²), resulting an increase in a photocurrent of 91%.  Under 3.5 mW/cm² illumination, we found that this photoelectrodes have an optimum short-circuit photocurrent density (I_sc) of 0.429 mA/cm² and energy conversion efficiency of 1.42%, which is 160% higher than that of a CdS single sensitizer (0.54%). The excellent photoelectrochemical properties of our photoanode, suggest that the TiO₂ films co-sensitized by PbS/Pb_0.05Cd_0.95S/CdS quantum dots have potential application in a solar cells.

solar cell; quantum dots; SILAR method; co-sensitization

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