Enhanced photocurrent generation of bio-inspired graphene/ZnO composite films

Shengyan Yin*, Xiaoju Men, Hang Sun, Ping She, Wei Zhang, Changfeng Wu, Weiping Qin, Xiaodong Chen

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

40 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A bio-inspired photoelectrode was developed by self-assembly of honeycomb graphene oxide films, followed by reduction and in situ growth of ZnO nanorods (NRs). In the nanocomposite film, the graphene substrate shows an elegant macroporous structure of an ordered honeycomb pattern, with uniformly and densely deposited ZnO NRs. In a photoelectric conversion system, the rGO/DODA/ZnO honeycomb film not only significantly improves light-capturing ability, but also provides a direct and stable pathway for rapid electron transport, promoting photoinduced electron-hole separation. Compared to the counterpart of a smooth hybrid film, the honeycomb composite material shows a decreased incident light reflection of 26%, and a three-fold increase in photocurrent. It is envisioned that this facile and scalable fabrication approach, as well as this bio-inspired structure, will open a new avenue for the rational design and engineering of high-performance solar energy conversion devices.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)12016-12022
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Materials Chemistry A
Volume3
Issue number22
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 14 2015
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Royal Society of Chemistry 2015.

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • General Chemistry
  • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
  • General Materials Science

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