Thermal Treatment Effects on Electrodeposited Sb2Se3 Photovoltaic Thin Films

Author(s)

Costa, Magno Barcelos ^[1] ; de Souza Lucas, Francisco Willian ^[1] ; Mascaro, Lucia Helena ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Sao Carlos, Rd Washington Luiz, Km 235, BR-13565905 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: CHEMELECTROCHEM; v. 4, n. 10, p. 2507-2514, OCT 2017.
• Web of Science Citations: 4

Abstract

Antimony selenide thin films were prepared through potentiostatic co-electrodeposition by applying -0.6V from a bath composed of 2.5 mM K(SbO)C(4)H(4)O(6)0.5 H2O and 2.0 mM SeO2 in a supporting electrolyte of 0.5M Na2SO4/H2SO4 at pH 2. The films were subjected to different thermal treatment (TT) conditions under a Se-(vapor)/N-2 atmosphere. Cyclic voltammetry was used to evaluate the electrochemical process of each element separately as well as the binary system on Pt and FTO working electrodes. The morphology, composition, band gap, crystallography, and photoactivity toward hydrogen gas production of the films were evaluated as a function of TT conditions, in order to obtain insight into their effects on film properties. Under all conditions, the films showed homogeneous and rough surfaces and a stoichiometric Sb2Se3 composition. The non-thermal-treated film was non-crystalline, whereas after TT, all films showed a pure orthorhombic Sb2Se3 phase. It was observed that the crystallographic texturization of films in the (120) plane, caused by some TT conditions, is detrimental to the photoactivity. At the optimized TT conditions (300 degrees C for 3h), the film presented good crystallographic and optoelectronic properties and photoactivity, with a photocurrent value of 168.15 mu A cm(-2) (at the standard hydrogen gas evolution potential) and a band gap of around 1.1eV. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/10513-3 - Synthesis and application of functional nanostructured materials in Electro/photoelectrocatalysis under continuous flow conditions: a new perspective for synthesis and functionalization of heterocyclic system
• Grantee: Francisco Willian de Souza Lucas
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 13/07296-2 - CDMF - Center for the Development of Functional Materials
• Grantee: Elson Longo da Silva
• Support type: Research Grants - Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers - RIDC