A review of the effect of ZnO nanorods as the electron transporting layer on the performance of polymer solar cells

Document Type : Review Article

Authors

Department of Chemistry, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

In recent years, polymer solar cells (PSCs) have attracted a great deal of attention due to their low fabrication cost, simplicity of fabrication, light weight and high flexibility. However, power conversion efficiency (PCE) of PSCs is low (about 10%) and should be enhanced before commercialization. PCE of these devices could be improved by enhancing charge carrier collections at electrodes. Transparent conductive oxides (TCOs) have been considered as the promising electron transporting layer in construction of PSCs in order to enhance the PCE of these devices by overcoming the charge carrier recombination. Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a suitable candidate to be used in PSCs due to its high electron mobility, low cost, ease of synthesis methods, high transparency in the visible range and high electrical conductivity. Among the various morphologies, ZnO nanorods have shown strong impacts on the photovoltaic performance of PSCs due to providing direct paths for electrons transfer. In this review article, the influences of ZnO nanorods on the photovoltaic parameters of PSCs as electron transporting layer have been investigated and some of the most important methods for synthesis of ZnO nanorodshave been introduced.  

Keywords

References

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History

  • Receive Date: 18 August 2018
  • Revise Date: 16 October 2018
  • Accept Date: 06 November 2018

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