Influence of ionic liquid on the photoelectrochemical properties of ZnO particles

Autor(es)

da Trindade, Leticia G. ^[1] ; Minervino, Gabriela B. ^[2] ; Trench, Aline B. ^[1] ; Carvalho, Maria H. ^[3] ; Assis, Marcelo ^[1] ; Li, Maximo S. ^[4] ; de Oliveira, Adilson J. A. ^[3] ; Pereira, Ernesto C. ^[1] ; Mazzo, Tatiana M. ^[2] ; Longo, Elson ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Fed Sao Carlos, CDMF LIEC, Chem Dept, POB 676, BR-13565905 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

^[2] Fed Univ Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Inst Marine Sci, POB 11070-100, Santos, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Sao Carlos, Phys Dept, POB 676, BR-13565905 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, IFSC, POB 369, BR-13569970 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: CERAMICS INTERNATIONAL; v. 44, n. 9, p. 10393-10401, JUN 15 2018.
• Citações Web of Science: 3

Resumo

ZnO particles synthesized by the microwave-assisted hydrothermal method were sensitized with different amounts of ionic liquid (IL) 1.3-dimethylimidazolium iodide (MMI.I). The structure of the modified and unmodified ZnO particles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, field emission gun-scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL), and photoelectrochemical measurements. While the sensitization of ZnO particles by the ionic liquid does not change the ZnO phase, it reduces the particle size and converts shallow defects to deep defects. These changes cause the photocurrent density of the ZnO/IL films to increase significantly from 0.05 mA cm(-2) for pure ZnO to 0.52 and 1.24 mA cm(-2) for the ZnO films containing 20% and 35% by mass of the IL, respectively, at 1.08 V vs. Ag/AgCl. This about 24-fold increase in the photocurrent density of the ZnO/IL35 sample may indicate that the MMI.I IL may be acting as a dye, since it is constituted by an organic part, MMI+. This good performance presented by this sample indicates that this is a promising material for photoanode in solar cells. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 13/07296-2 - CDMF - Centro de Desenvolvimento de Materiais Funcionais
• Beneficiário: Elson Longo da Silva
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Centros de Pesquisa, Inovação e Difusão - CEPIDs