Synthesis and Characterization of Zinc Indium Sulfide Thin Films for Photoelectrochemical Application

Abstract

The replacement of fossil fuels with renewable energy to sustain the life on Earth is one of the newlinebiggest challenges in recent days. The renewable energy resources are solar energy, wind energy, newlinehydro power etc. Among these, solar energy transpires possible solution to defy this problem since sun newlineis the most abundant and cheap energy resource. This anxiety leads to the development of solar cells newlinefor utilizing the solar energy. The design of photoelectrode with particular structure and composition newlinehas been proposed as an effective way to improve the efficiency of solar cell. Semiconducting ternary newlinecrystals are quite attractive as potential device materials. Zinc indium sulfide (ZnIn2S4), an important newlinesemiconducting material of ternary chalcogenides, has attracted considerable attention in different newlinefields because of its outstanding electrical and optical properties. ZnIn2S4 has narrow band gap well newlinecorresponding to the visible spectrum and has considerable photostability in aqueous solution under newlinelight irradiation. newlineIn this work, we present ZIS thin film for photoelectrochemical applications. ZIS thin film is newlinedeposited using novel nebulized spray pyrolysis method and characterized. newlineWe have made an attempt to synthesis TiO2 thin film by spin coating method and the prepared newlinefilms were systematically characterized. TiO2 is also stable in aqueous electrolyte. Construction of a newlineheterostructure electrode consisting of narrow gap semiconductor (ZIS) as light absorber and wide gap newlinesemiconductor (TiO2) as stabilizer is an effective method for enhancing the conversion efficiency of newlinePEC cell .We have made an attempt to use the prepared ZIS electrode and TiO2/ZIS heterostructure newlineelectrode for photoelectrochemical applications. newlinei) Major objectives : newlineThe main objective of the present study are given below. newline1. Optimization of the deposition process of ZnIn2S4 by nebulized spray pyrolysis technique. 2. Characterization of ZIS thin films. newline3. Formation of PEC cell with ZIS electrode. newline4. Optimization and characterization of TiO2 thin