LMGP Seminar - 21/06/2016 - Shanting Zhang

PhD student, SHANTING – ZHANG

• Univ. Grenoble Alpes, LMGP, F-38000 Grenoble, France; CNRS, LMGP, F-38000 Grenoble, France
• Institute of Materials Science, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Jovanka-Bontschits-Str. 2, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany

 Abstract

Nowadays, the urge for developing high efficiency solar cells has motivated researchers to develop transparent conductive materials (TCMs) beyond their basic properties of high transparency and conductivity. In this work, innovative S:TiO₂-FTO nanocomposites with high haze factors (i.e. high ability to scatter light) have been developed using a cheap and facile 2-step process. The morphological, optical, and structural aspects of these nanocomposites will be addressed in detail.

While the total transmittance of these nanocomposites is lowered to slightly below 70%, their sheet resistances are nevertheless significantly decreased by around 30%. By varying the nanoparticle suspension concentrations used to prepare S:TiO₂-FTO nanocomposites, the haze factors can be controllably varied from almost 0% up to 55%. An electrode with high haze factor can increase the optical path thus contribute to light absorption finally increase the solar cell efficiency. As a result, the S:TiO₂-FTO nanocomposites can be used as promising electrodes in solar cells.