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Optimised synthesis of close packed ZnO cloth and its applications in Li-ion batteries and dye-sensitized solar cells

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Abstract

Close packed ZnO nanoparticles on carbon cloth were synthesized by repeating a facile hydrothermal route in this study. After characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the obtained ZnO cloth was further studied for the applications in lithium (Li)-ion batteries (LIBs) and dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). When ZnO cloth annealed at 400°C for 2 h were used as anodes of LIBs, it exhibited high capacity of 600 mAh/g and outstanding cycling capability without significant fading after 130 cycles. Moreover, it was also found that our electrodes displayed good stabilities under various humidity and temperature. Furthermore, the obtained composites were calcined at higher temperature (800°C) to remove carbon and white pure ZnO cloth was formed. We transferred the as-formed ZnO cloth to fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate to make DSSCs, exhibiting an improved efficiency of around 0.38% assisted by TiCl4 treatment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics (WNLO), Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China

    Yue Qian, Rong Liu, Xiujuan Jin, Bin Liu, Xianfu Wang, Jin Xu, Zhuoran Wang, Gui Chen & Junfeng Chao

Authors
  1. Yue Qian
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  2. Rong Liu
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  3. Xiujuan Jin
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  4. Bin Liu
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  5. Xianfu Wang
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  6. Jin Xu
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  7. Zhuoran Wang
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  8. Gui Chen
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  9. Junfeng Chao
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yue Qian.

Additional information

Yue Qian received the B.S. degree in optical information science and technology from Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) in 2005, and the M.S. degree in test measurement technology and instrument from HUST in 2007. He is working toward his Ph.D. degree in Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics (WNLO), HUST. His research is in the area of nanoscale materials and energy storage devices.

Rong Liu received the B.S. degree in optical information science and technology from China Three Gorges University in 2011, and the M.S. degree in physical electronics from in Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics (WNLO), Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) in 2014. Her research was in the area of nanoscale materials and energy storage devices.

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Qian, Y., Liu, R., Jin, X. et al. Optimised synthesis of close packed ZnO cloth and its applications in Li-ion batteries and dye-sensitized solar cells. Front. Optoelectron. 8, 220–228 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12200-015-0490-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12200-015-0490-2

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