Carbon nanotube- semiconductor and TiO2 nanotube-quantum dot architectures for light energy conversion

PHYS 189

Prashant V. Kamat, pkamat@nd.edu1, Patrick Brown1, and Anusorn Kongkanand2. (1) Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Radiation Laboratory, Notre Dame, IN 46556, (2) Notre Dame Radiation Laboratory, University of Notre Dame, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Notre Dame, IN 46556
We have successfully assembled 1-D architectures (SWCNT network and TiO2 nanotube array) on electrode surfaces to anchor semiconductor (e.g., TiO2 and CdSe) nanoparticles. Upon bandgap excitation of the SWCNT-TiO2 composite the electrons are quickly transferred from semiconductor particles into carbon nanotubes as these two systems undergo charge equilibration. The carbon nanotube network plays an important role in facilitating charge collection and charge transport to the collecting electrode surface. A two-fold increase of photoconversion efficiency (IPCE) has been observed using such composite architecture. We have also modulated the photoresponse of quantum dot solar cells by varying size of semiconductor quantum dots on TiO2 nanotube array. Use of nanotube scaffold in improving the performance of nanostructure based solar cells (e.g., dyes sensitized solar cells and quantum dot solar cells) will be discussed.
 

Nanostructured Materials
8:20 AM-12:00 PM, Tuesday, April 8, 2008 Morial Convention Center -- Rm. 338/339, Oral

Division of Physical Chemistry

The 235th ACS National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, April 6-10, 2008