We report on the crystallite growth and phase change of electrodeposited CdSe coatings on ZnO nanowires during annealing. Both in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) reveal that the nanocrystal size increases from ∼3 to ∼10 nm upon annealing at 350 °C for 1 h and then to more than 30 nm during another 1 h at 400 °C, exhibiting two distinct growth regimes. Nanocrystal growth occurs together with a structural change from zinc blende to wurtzite. The structural transition begins at 350 °C, which results in the formation of stacking faults. Increased crystallite size, comparable to the coating thickness, can improve charge separation in extremely thin absorber solar cells. We demonstrate a nearly two-fold improvement in power conversion efficiency upon annealing.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0957-4484/23/26/265701DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

zno nanowires
8
transmission electron
8
electron microscopy
8
x-ray diffraction
8
microstructural changes
4
changes cdse-coated
4
cdse-coated zno
4
nanowires evaluated
4
evaluated situ
4
annealing
4

Similar Publications

Advancement in piezoelectric nanogenerators for acoustic energy harvesting.

Microsyst Nanoeng

December 2024

Department of Computer and Information Engineering, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, 12778, UAE.

The demand for sustainable energy sources to power small electronics like IoT devices has led to exploring innovative solutions like acoustic energy harvesting using piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs). Acoustic energy harvesting leverages ambient noise, converting it into electrical energy through the piezoelectric effect, where certain materials generate an electric charge in response to mechanical stress or vibrations. This review paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the advancements in PENG technology, emphasizing their role in acoustic energy harvesting.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Neuromorphic computing, inspired by the brain, holds significant promise for advancing artificial intelligence. Artificial optoelectronic synapses, which can convert optical signals into electrical signals, play a crucial role in neuromorphic computing. In this study, we successfully fabricated a flexible artificial optoelectronic synapse device based on the ZnO/PDMS structure by utilizing the magnetron sputtering technique to deposit the ZnO film on a flexible substrate.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Hydrogen Production and Li-Ion Battery Performance with MoS-SiNWs-SWNTs@ZnONPs Nanocomposites.

Nanomaterials (Basel)

November 2024

Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales Nicolás Cabrera, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain.

This study explores the hydrogen generation potential via water-splitting reactions under UV-vis radiation by using a synergistic assembly of ZnO nanoparticles integrated with MoS, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), and crystalline silicon nanowires (SiNWs) to create the MoS-SiNWs-SWNTs@ZnONPs nanocomposites. A comparative analysis of MoS synthesized through chemical and physical exfoliation methods revealed that the chemically exfoliated MoS exhibited superior performance, thereby being selected for all subsequent measurements. The nanostructured materials demonstrated exceptional surface characteristics, with specific surface areas exceeding 300 m g.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We demonstrate the facile fabrication of metal-wire-embedded microtrenches interconnected with semiconducting ZnO nanowires (ZNWs) through the continuous mechanical machining of micrograting trenches, the mechanical embedding of solution-processable metal wires therein, and the metal-mediated hydrothermal growth of ZNWs selectively thereto. The entire process can be performed at room or a very low temperature without resorting to vacuum, lithography, and etching steps, thereby enabling the use of flexible polymer substrates of scalable sizes. We optimize the fabrication procedure and resulting structural characteristics of this nanowire-interconnected flexible trench-embedded electrode (NIFTEE) architecture.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This review explores the state-of-the-art with respect to multicomponent nanomaterials (MCNMs) and high aspect ratio nanomaterials (HARNs), with a focus on their physicochemical characterisation, applications, and hazard, fate, and risk assessment. Utilising the PRISMA approach, this study investigates specific MCNMs including cerium-zirconium mixtures (CeZrO) and ZnO nanomaterials doped with transition metals and rare earth elements, as well as Titanium Carbide (TiC) nanomaterials contained in Ti-6Al-4V alloy powders. HARNs of interest include graphene, carbon-derived nanotubes (CNTs), and metallic nanowires, specifically Ag-based nanowires.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!