Hierarchically Structured ZnO Nanorods–Nanosheets for Improved Quantum-Dot-Sensitized Solar Cells

ZnO nanorods (NRs) and nanosheets (NSs) were fabricated by adjusting the growth orientation of ZnO crystals in the reaction solution, respectively. The thin ZnO NSs were slowly assembled on the surface of NRs to form a hierarchically structured NR-NS photoelectrode for constructing CdS/CdSe quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSCs). This hierarchical structure had two advantages in improving the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the solar cells: (a) it increased the surface area and modified the surface profile of the ZnO NRs to aid in harvesting more quantum dots, which leads to a high short-current density (Jsc); (b) it facilitated transportation of the electrons in this compact structure to reduce the charge recombination, which led to enhancement of the open-circuit voltage (Voc) and fill factor (FF). As a result, the QDSC assembled with the hierarchical NR-NS photoelectrode exhibited a high PCE of 3.28%, which is twice as much as that of the NR photoelectrode (1.37%).