Reduction of particle agglomeration through mechanochemical-surfactant propped nanomicelles formation in Zinc Oxide exploring the enhanced photocurrent density of quasi solid dye-sensitized solar cells
Surfaces and Interfaces, 2025
Our study has successfully developed a distinctive zinc oxide nanostructure using a simple mechan... more Our study has successfully developed a distinctive zinc oxide nanostructure using a simple mechanochemical
technique. The nanostructure’s surface reveals the presence of micelles, which are formed due to functionali
zation with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide surfactant. A thorough examination was conducted to determine
the thermal stability of the materials. We discovered that specific samples experienced degradation of the micelle
structure after being subjected to a thermal treatment at 400
◦
C. The degradation resulted in the formation of
spherical nanoparticles. The powder X-ray diffraction pattern and Fourier transform infrared spectral mea
surements indicate that the zinc oxide nanomaterials possess a wurtzite phase. At the same time, their surface
exhibits a micelle-like structure due to the adsorption of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide in the SZO1 and
SZO2 samples. The FT-IR measurements were conducted for functional group identification and to confirm the
formation of surface micelles on the zinc oxide surface. The changes in the zeta potential and polydispersity
values indicate the formation of surface micelles well. The surface features and particle size were analyzed using
scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy techniques. The achieved particle size was
approximately 10–14 nm, and the initial observation of micelle structures in the SZO1 and SZO2 particles was
not sustained after thermal treatment. The absorption spectra of the SZO3 samples reveal the presence of
extended absorption edges, which can be attributed to the random arrangement of spherical particles and the
notable surface roughness. Incorporating SZO1 and SZO2 in the dye-sensitized solar cell devices significantly
improved photocurrent density, resulting in an impressive power conversion efficiency of approximately 4.5 %.
The findings of this study have improving solar cell performance, and highlighting a promising approach to
enhancing solar cell performance. MATLAB simulation and photochemical studies further supported the device
performance based on the micelle-structured zinc oxide photoanode. This paper meticulousness. It presents a
comprehensive analysis of photocurrent enhancement and power conversion efficiency, demonstrating the
meticulous approach of our study. This enhancement results from the alteration of cetyltrimethylammonium
bromide, creating structures resembling micelles on the surface. The promising results of our study offer hope for
the future of solar cell technology and its potential for commercialization.
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articles by RAM KUMAR P
mild steel (MS) surfaces. The coating’s stability was enhanced by incorporating various elements into the matrix.
This study incorporated an organic fatty acid, specifically oleic acid (OA)into the zinc titanate (ZT). It forms a
ZT/OA hybrid film-like coating on the MS surface. The synthesized ZT/OA nanomaterials were thoroughly
characterized using PXRD, FT-IR, and SEM. The cubic spinel structure of ZnTiO
3
and its spherical morphology
were revealed from these techniques. The ZT/OA composites were applied to the surface of mild steel, and a film
was formed under ambient conditions at a temperature of 150
◦
2
C. An investigation was conducted on the
electrochemical corrosion behaviors of ZT/OA composites in three electrode systems using both saline and acidic
mediums. This study involved measuring the impedance and Tafel polarization corrosion data. The results
indicate that the ZT40 (60 wt% oleic acid-doped) sample Showed a significantly higher resistance of 37638 Ω
cm
, coupled with an impressive inhibition efficiency of 99.3 % under saline conditions. Furthermore, under
acidic conditions, the ZT40 sample exhibited excellent performance, as evidenced by the results of 691 Ω cm
and 97 % inhibition efficiency
and sonochemical techniques. The ultrasonic treatment of precursors enabled the self-assembly of ZnO nanoparticles into
highly porous, interconnected structures. Structural characterization via powder X-ray diffraction confirmed the presence
of the wurtzite ZnO phase with distinct diffraction peaks at 2θ values of 31.4°, 34.1°, 36.0°, 47.2°, 56.3°, 62.6°, and 67.7°.
Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy identified characteristic Zn–O and Zn-OH vibrational modes at 510 and 704 cm−1,
respectively. Scanning electron microscope images revealed well-defined flower petal-like architectures with increased
surface roughness, enhancing electrochemical activity. The synthesized ZnO structures exhibited specific capacitances of
89.94 Fg−1 (N2/GS) and 95.92 Fg−1 (N3/GS) at a scan rate of 5 mV/s. The N3/GS electrode demonstrated a remarkable rate
capability of 68% at 5 A/g, highlighting its superior charge storage stability. Furthermore, the asymmetric supercapacitor
based on N3/GS showcased high specific capacitance, power density, and retention, underscoring its potential for advanced
energy storage applications.
technique. The nanostructure’s surface reveals the presence of micelles, which are formed due to functionali
zation with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide surfactant. A thorough examination was conducted to determine
the thermal stability of the materials. We discovered that specific samples experienced degradation of the micelle
structure after being subjected to a thermal treatment at 400
◦
C. The degradation resulted in the formation of
spherical nanoparticles. The powder X-ray diffraction pattern and Fourier transform infrared spectral mea
surements indicate that the zinc oxide nanomaterials possess a wurtzite phase. At the same time, their surface
exhibits a micelle-like structure due to the adsorption of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide in the SZO1 and
SZO2 samples. The FT-IR measurements were conducted for functional group identification and to confirm the
formation of surface micelles on the zinc oxide surface. The changes in the zeta potential and polydispersity
values indicate the formation of surface micelles well. The surface features and particle size were analyzed using
scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy techniques. The achieved particle size was
approximately 10–14 nm, and the initial observation of micelle structures in the SZO1 and SZO2 particles was
not sustained after thermal treatment. The absorption spectra of the SZO3 samples reveal the presence of
extended absorption edges, which can be attributed to the random arrangement of spherical particles and the
notable surface roughness. Incorporating SZO1 and SZO2 in the dye-sensitized solar cell devices significantly
improved photocurrent density, resulting in an impressive power conversion efficiency of approximately 4.5 %.
The findings of this study have improving solar cell performance, and highlighting a promising approach to
enhancing solar cell performance. MATLAB simulation and photochemical studies further supported the device
performance based on the micelle-structured zinc oxide photoanode. This paper meticulousness. It presents a
comprehensive analysis of photocurrent enhancement and power conversion efficiency, demonstrating the
meticulous approach of our study. This enhancement results from the alteration of cetyltrimethylammonium
bromide, creating structures resembling micelles on the surface. The promising results of our study offer hope for
the future of solar cell technology and its potential for commercialization.
due to their adjustable electronic band structures through elemental composition modifications. Perovskite
materials based on zinc and titanium have been utilised in DSSC and show moderate performance. Considerable
research has been dedicated to this field to improve their performances. The focus was primarily on the synthetic
variabilities due to their impact on performance under varying synthetic conditions. According to this
perspective, no comparative studies have found superior methodologies for utilising zinc titanate as a potential
photoanode in DSSC. We synthesised a zinc titanate material using thermal, sol-gel, and plasma irradiation
techniques. The materials’ structural variability was analysed using PXRD and FT-IR techniques. A mixed-phase
composition of spinel cubic and hexagonal has been identified. The SEM images provide insights into the particle
distribution and morphology of the zinc titanate materials. Investigating absorption properties, band gap energy
levels and aggregation behaviours provided initial insights into the potential use of the three zinc titanate ma
terials. The DSSC devices were fabricated using zinc titanate materials with varying properties, and the results
are detailed in this discussion. Based on the findings, the plasma and thermal irradiation techniques yielded more
favourable zinc titanate materials for dye-sensitized solar cell use. The efficiency reached 0.04 % when operating
with polymeric gel electrolytes.
solar that utilize titania aerogel by linking the material characteristics altered through the
interaction of iodine with the surface and lattice structures. The surface-adsorbed iodine
functionalized titania aerogel, designated as AI, while the lattice incorporated iodine and
potassium ions in the titania aerogel and labeled it LI. The LI-based photoanode demon
strated an improved dye loading capacity of 0.43 µmol/mg and a significantly higher device
efficiency of 4.34%, in contrast to the AI-based device, which achieved an efficiency of
1.66%. The spectroscopic analysis showed notable broadening and redshift in the absorp
tion spectra for LI, suggesting robust electronic coupling and dye aggregation, which
enhanced photon absorption and electron injection efficiency. Electrochemical impedance
spectroscopy revealed a reduced charge transfer resistance (RCt = 29.5 Ω) and an increased
electron lifetime (τn = 27.4 ms) for the LI-based DSSC, leading to enhanced interfacial
charge transport and minimized recombination. The findings underscore the importance
of the photoanode’s surface characteristics and the dyes’ aggregation for improving the
performance of dye-sensitized solar cells. This study identifies LI-based photoanodes as
strong contenders in enhancing the efficiency of DSSCs, offering valuable insights into
optimizing charge dynamics and photochemical stability