Some physical and electrochemical properties of one-dimensional ZnO nanomaterials providing enhanced solar energy harvesting for DSSCs

The role of ZnO growth-centers on the physical and electrochemical properties of hydrothermally produced ZnOnanorods was investigated. ZnO-cores enabled the growth of ZnO-nanorods that grew along the (002) plane and were able to absorb visible light. Charge-transfer capacities and corrosion resistances were determined with electrochemical impedance and Tafel spectroscopies. Dye-loading tests were performed with N719 dye. ZnOnanorods grown onto ZnO-cores produced from low-molarity sol became more suitable photoanode with low corrosion current density (101 nAcm-2), small charge transfer resistance (104 k Omega), and good dye adsorption capacity (24.43 mgL-1).