• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 한국진공학회 2009년도 제38회 동계학술대회 초록집
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• pp.319-319
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• 2010

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on plastic substrates have attracted much attention mainly due to extensive applications such as ubiquitous powers, as well as the practical reasons such as light weight, flexibility and roll-to-roll process. However, conventional high temperature fabrication technology for glass based DSSCs, cannot be applied to flexible devices because polymer substrates cannot withstand the heat more than $150^{\circ}C$. Therefore, low temperature fabrication process, without using a polymer binder or thermal sintering, was required to fabricate necked $TiO_2$. In this presentation, we proposed polymer-inorganic composite photoelectrode, which can be fabricated at low temperature. The concept of composite electrode takes an advantage of utilizing elastic properties of polymers, such as good impact strength. As an elastic material, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is selected because of its optical transparency and good adhesive properties. In this work, a polymer-inorganic composite electrode was constructed on FTO/glass substrate under low temperature sintering condition, from the mixture of PMMA and $TiO_2$ colloidal solution. The effect of PMMA composition on the photovoltaic property was investigated. Then, the enhanced mechanical stability of this composite electrode on ITO/PEN substrate was also demonstrated from bending test.

• Electronic Materials Letters
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• 제14권6호
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• pp.733-738
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• 2018

Undoped and Mn-doped $In_2O_3$ films were prepared by radiofrequency magnetron sputtering technique. The effects of Mn doping on the structural and optical properties of as-prepared films were investigated using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. Mn doping can enhance the intensity of (222) peak in Mn-doped $In_2O_3$ thin film, indicating Mn dopant promotes preferred orientation of crystal growth along (222) plane. XPS analyses revealed that the doped Mn ions exist at + 2 oxidation states, substituting for the $In^{3+}$ sites in the $In_2O_3$ lattice. UV-Vis measurements show that the optical band gap $E_g$ decreases from 3.33 to 2.87 eV with Mn doping in $In_2O_3$, implying an increasing sp-d exchange interaction in the film. Our work demonstrates a practical means to manipulate the band gap energy of $In_2O_3$ thin film via Mn impurity doping, and significantly improves the photoelectrochemical activity.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.92-96
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• 2021

We report the growth and enhanced photoelectrochemcial (PEC) water-splitting reactivity of few-layer MoS2 nanosheets on TiO2 nanowires. TiO2 nanowires with lengths of ~1.5 ~ 2.0 ㎛ and widths of ~50~300 nm are synthesized on fluorine-doped tin oxide substrates at 180 ℃ using hydrothermal methods with Ti(C4H9O)4. Few-layer MoS2 nanosheets with heights of ~250 ~ 300 nm are vertically grown on TiO2 nanowires at a moderate growth temperature of 300 ℃ using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. The MoS2 nanosheets on TiO2 nanowires exhibit typical Raman and ultraviolet-visible light absorption spectra corresponding to few-layer thick MoS2. The PEC performance of the MoS2 nanosheet/TiO2 nanowire heterostructure is superior to that of bare TiO2 nanowires. MoS2/TiO2 heterostructure shows three times higher photocurrent than that of bare TiO2 nanowires at 0.6 V. The enhanced PEC photocurrent is attributed to improved light absorption of MoS2 nanosheets and efficient charge separation through the heterojunction. The photoelectrode of the MoS2/TiO2 heterostructure is stably sustained during on-off switching PEC cycle.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• 제32권1호
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• pp.30-35
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• 2022

The development of advanced materials to improve the efficiency of photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting paves the way for widespread renewable energy technologies. Efficient photoanodes with strong absorbance in visible light increases the effectiveness of solar energy conversion systems. MoS₂ in a two-dimensional semiconductor that has excellent absorption performance in visible light and high catalytic activity, showing considerable potential as an agent of PEC water splitting. In this study, we successfully modulated the MoS₂ morphology on indium tin oxide substrate by using the metalorganic chemical vapor deposition method, and applied the PEC application. The PEC photocurrent of the vertically grown MoS₂ nanosheet structure significantly increased relative to that of MoS₂ nanoparticles because of the efficient transfer of charge carriers and high-density active sites. The enhanced photocurrent was attributed to the efficient charge separation and improved light absorption of the MoS₂ nanosheet structure. Meanwhile, the photocurrent property of thick nanosheets decreased because of the limit imposed by the diffusion lengths of carriers. This study proposes a valuable photoelectrode design with suitable nanosheet morphology for efficient PEC water splitting.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• 제55권2호
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• pp.63-69
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• 2022

Preparing various types of thin films of oxide semiconductors is a promising approach to fabricate efficient photoanodes and photocathodes for hydrogen production via photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. In this work, we investigate the feasibility of an efficient photocathode for PEC water reduction of a p-type oxide semiconductor cupric oxide (CuO) thin film prepared via a facile method combined with sputtering Cu metallic film on fluorine-doped thin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrate and subsequent thermal oxidation of the sputtered Cu metallic film in dry air. Characterization of the structural, optical, and PEC properties of the CuO thin film prepared at various Cu sputtering powers reveals that we can obtain an optimum CuO thin film as an efficient PEC photocathode at a Cu sputtering power of 60 W. The photocurrent density and the optimal photocurrent conversion efficiency for the optimum CuO thin film photocathode are found to be -0.3 mA/cm² and 0.09% at 0.35 V vs. RHE, respectively. These results provide a promising route to fabricating earth-abundant copper-oxide-based photoelectrode for sunlight-driven hydrogen generation using a facile method.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• 제56권4호
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• pp.265-272
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• 2023

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is one of the promising methods for hydrogen production by solar energy. Iron oxide has been effectively investigated as a photoelectrode material for PEC water splitting due to its intrinsic property such as short minority carrier diffusion length. However, iron oxide has a low PEC efficiency owing to a high recombination rate between photoexcited electrons and holes. In this study, we synthesized nanoporous structured iron oxide by anodization to overcome the drawbacks and to increase surface area. The anodized iron oxide was annealed in Ar atmosphere with different purging times. In conclusion, the highest current density of 0.032 mA/cm² at 1.23 V vs. RHE was obtained with 60 s of pursing for iron oxide(Fe-60), which was 3 times higher in photocurrent density compared to iron oxide annealed with 600 s of pursing(Fe-600). The resistances and donor densities were also evaluated for all the anodized iron oxide by electrochemical impedance spectra and Mott-Schottky plot analysis.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• 제37권2호
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• pp.202-207
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• 2024

This study examines a manufacturing process for the photoelectrode material of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) intending to increase efficiency through the surface plasmon resonance phenomenon of nanoparticles with a composite structure made of Ag and TiO₂. This invention involves the use of Ag and TiO₂ nanoparticles in the solar cell. These nanoparticles cause surface plasmon resonance, which amplifies and scatters incident solar energy, enhancing the dye's rate of light absorption. It also makes it possible to absorb energy in wavelength ranges that were previously difficult to do, which increases efficiency. Centrifugal separation and heat synthesis are used to create the composite metal structures, and certain combinations are used to decide the particle morphologies. To increase the efficiency of organic solar cells and DSSC, the Ag/TiO₂ composite structure is therefore quite likely to be used.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• 제20권9호
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• pp.483-487
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• 2010

To fabricate $TiO_2$ nanoparticle-based dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) at a low-temperature, DSSCs were fabricated using hydropolymer and ZnO nanoparticles composites for the electron transport layer around a low-temperature ($200^{\circ}C$). ZnO nanoparticle with 20 nm and 60 nm diameter were used and Pt was deposited as a counter electrode on ITO/glass using an RF magnetron sputtering. We investigate the effect of ZnO nanoparticle concentration in hydropolymer and ZnO nanoparticle solution on the photoconversion performance of the low temperature fabricated ($200^{\circ}C$) DSSCs. Using cis-bis(isothiocyanato)bis(2,20 bipyridy1-4,40 dicarboxylato) ruthenium (II) bis-tetrabutylammonium (N719) dye as a sensitizer, the corresponding device performance and photo-physical characteristics are investigated through conventional physical characterization techniques. The effect of thickness of the ZnO photoelectrode and the morphology of the ZnO nanoparticles with the variations of hydropolymer to ZnO ratio on the photoconversion performance are also investigated. The morphology of the ZnO layer after sintering was examined using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). 60 nm ZnO nanoparticle DSSCs showed an incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) value of about 7% higher than that of 20 nm ZnO nanoparticle DSSCs. The maximum parameters of the short circuit current density ($J_{sc}$), the open circuit potential ($V_{oc}$), fill factor (ff), and efficiency ($\eta$) in the 60 nm ZnO nanoparticle-based DSSC devices were 4.93 mA/$cm^2$, 0.56V, 0.40, and 1.12%, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 한국전기전자재료학회 2008년도 추계학술대회 논문집 Vol.21
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• pp.435-436
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• 2008

Dye-sensitized Solar Cells(DSSCs) which convert incident sun light into electricity were expected to overcome global warming and depletion of fossil fuels. And it is one of study that is lately getting into the spotlight because manufacturing method is more simple and inexpensive than existing silicon solar cells. In this respect, DSSCs are in the limelight as the next generation solar cells. DSSCs are generally composed of a dye-modified $TiO_2$ photoelectrode, a Pt counter electrode, and an electrolytes containing a redox couple$(I^-/I_3^-)$. Among these elements, pt electrode were prepared by applying electric potential to FTO substrate in the $H_2PtCl_6$ solution. In this study, we report the solar cell efficiency depending on $PtCl_4$ concentration change. $PtCl_4$ concentration was 1mM, 5mM, 10mM, and 20mM, and adhered on FTO glass substrate by sintering process. When applied each $PtCl_4$ counter electrode on DSSC, the best efficiency was found at 10mM of $PtCl_4$ concentration. The catalyst promotes the movement of electron from the counter electrode to the electrolyte the higher the molarity, the better the efficiency. However, in case of 20mM, it is estimated that over-deposited $PtCl_4$ tends to restrict the movement of electron due to its bundle formation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 한국진공학회 2011년도 제41회 하계 정기 학술대회 초록집
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• pp.75-75
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• 2011

Recently, dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) attracts great attention as a promising alternative to conventional silicon solar cells. One of the key components for the DSSC would be the nanocrystalline TiO2 electrode, and the control of interface between TiO2 and TCO is a highly important issue in improving the photovoltaic conversion efficiency. In this work, we applied various interfacial layers, and analyzed their effect in enhancing photovoltaic properties. In overall, introduction of interfacial layers increased both the Voc and Jsc, since the back-reaction of electrons from TCO to electrolyte could be blocked. First, several metal oxides with different band gaps and positions were employed as interfacial layer. SnO2, TiO2, and ZrO2 nanoparticles in the size of 3-5 nm have been synthesized. Among them, the interfacial layer of SnO2, which has lower flat-band potential than that of TiO2, exhibited the best performance in increasing the photovoltaic efficiency of DSSC. Second, long-range ordered cubic mesoporous TiO2 films, prepared by using triblock copolymer-templated sol-gel method via evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) process, were utilized as an interfacial layer. Mesoporous TiO2 films seem to be one of the best interfacial layers, due to their additional effect, improving the adhesion to TCO and showing an anti-reflective effect. Third, we handled the issues related to the optimum thickness of interfacial layers. It was also found that in fabricating DSSC at low temperature, the role of interfacial layer turned out to be a lot more important. The self-assembled interfacial layer fabricated at room temperature leads to the efficient transport of photo-injected electrons from TiO2 to TCO, as well as blocking the back-reaction from TCO to I3-. As a result, fill factor (FF) was remarkably increased, as well as increase in Voc and Jsc.