Suppression of the photocatalytic activity of ZnO fabricated by the sol–gel method under gentle vacuum for highly durable organic solar cells

Abstract

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a readily preparable n-type semiconducting material with excellent electron transport properties and good transparency. It was recently reported that low-temperature sol-gel processes for the preparation of...

Doping of 1,1-dicyano-2,2-bis(methylthio)ethylene in ZnO to improve photoresponce of organic solar cells and photodetectors under UV-cut light irradiation

“…We selected DBE as the dopant for obtaining ZnO that can be activated by visible light because DBE is a small π-conjugated molecule with a good electron-accepting nature and sufficient Gaussian/Lorentzian deconvolution. The similarity of these XPS component peaks to those of reported sol-gel ZnO component peaks 26,27,29) meant that ZnO was generated by using DBE instead of acetylacetone. The slight shift of the component peak of Zn 2p 3/2 (1022.2 eV) from the reported value (1021.7 eV) implies the coordination of S atoms of DBE to the Zn atom because it is reported that the XPS peak of S-bound Zn is slightly larger than that of O-bound Zn.…”

“…ZnO films were prepared basically by following a previously reported procedure, that is, the sol-gel method using zinc acetylacetonate hydrate [Zn(AcAc) 2 ]. [26][27][28] Although Zn(AcAc) 2 was poorly soluble in 2-methoxyethanol, the solvent used in the sol-gel method, its solubility was improved by the addition of a small amount of acetylacetone. We speculated that Zn(AcAc) 2 and acetylacetone would react in 2-methoxyethanol to generate a tris(acetylacetonato) complex that is soluble in the 2-methoxyethanol solution [Fig.…”

“…To confirm the carrier transport of DBE-doped ZnO-based optoelectronic devices without UV activation, OSCs and OPDs were fabricated according to reported procedures (ITO/ ZnO/P3HT:PCBM/PEDOT:PSS/Au/barrier film). [26][27][28] P3HT and PCBM are utilized as active layer materials because their properties for optoelectronic devices are guaranteed and they are affordable and readily available. 34,35) The DBE-doped ZnO film is not appropriate for use in optoelectronic devices because the film has low uniformity (Fig.…”

Band Energy Modulation in an Fe–Mn–ZnO Nanowire–Nanosheet Catalyst for Efficient Overall Water Splitting

“…24 Thus, ZnO is an adaptable nanomaterial with numerous uses in sunscreens, 25 cosmetics, 26 antibacterial coating, 27 chemical gas sensors, 28 biosensors, 29 thin-film transistors (TFTs), 30 photovoltaic devices, 31 supercapacitors, 32 photocatalysis, and electrocatalysis. 33,34 Several synthesis methods have been employed to produce zinc oxide (ZnO), including sol−gel, 35 hydrothermal, 36 solvothermal, 37 chemical precipitation, 38 chemical vapor transport, 39 spray pyrolysis, 40 and electrochemical method. 41 Despite several benefits, simple, scalable synthesis methods, and diverse applications of ZnO, it suffers from a few drawbacks that limit its effectiveness and practicality for overall water splitting due to the rapid charge carrier recombination and slow-moving kinetics.…”

“…Excitons are bound states of an electron and a hole that forms when an electron is excited into the conduction band from its valence band . Thus, ZnO is an adaptable nanomaterial with numerous uses in sunscreens, cosmetics, antibacterial coating, chemical gas sensors, biosensors, thin-film transistors (TFTs), photovoltaic devices, supercapacitors, photocatalysis, and electrocatalysis. , Several synthesis methods have been employed to produce zinc oxide (ZnO), including sol–gel, hydrothermal, solvothermal, chemical precipitation, chemical vapor transport, spray pyrolysis, and electrochemical method …”