Flexible solar-cell from zinc oxide nanocrystalline sheets self-assembled by an in-situ electrodeposition process

Zinc oxide nanocrystalline sheets were self-assembled on a flexible polymer substrate to act as the electrode of dye-sensitized solar cells by an in situ-construction electrodeposition process. It was discovered that the nanosheet-based solar cell exhibited better performance than a nanoparticle-based solar cell or a well-oriented nanowire-based solar cell. The nanosheet microstructure has advantages which include the depression of loss during photoelectron transport, the increase of dye compound adsorption, and the enhance of incident light capture. As a result, the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells can be obviously improved. This success provides a feasible bottom-up approach for integrating a solar cell together with nanodevices and microcircuits on a flexible substrate which can work with self-supplied solar energy.