Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Preparation and characterization of ZnO/ZnAl2O4-mixed metal oxides for dye-sensitized photodetector using Zn/Al-layered double hydroxide as precursor

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Nanoparticle Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this article, a simple new technique has been developed for the preparation of ZnO/ZnAl2O4-mixed metal oxide (MMO) as anode materials for visible light dye-sensitized (DS) photodetector using Zn/Al-layered double hydroxide (LDH) as precursor. Subsequently, a detailed correlation between the structural properties of the prepared samples and the photo-responsive behavior of the fabricated DS photodetectors was elucidated. Specifically, it is evidenced that a high surface area of the prepared mesoporous MMO anode materials exhibit excellent dye absorptivity and thus facilitate free electron transfer and increase the photocurrent in the fabricated DS photodetector. A significant bathochromic shift was observed in the optical energy of the prepared MMO samples under the increment of molar ratio, providing a short electron transfer pathway in the optimized Z7A DS photodetector, which in turn demonstrated photo-responsivity and photo-detectivity of 6 mA/W and 1.7 × 10+10 Jones, respectively. This work presents an alternative approach for the design of an eco-friendly MMO-based DS photodetector.

.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ahmed AAA, Talib ZA, Hussein MZ, Zakaria A (2012) Improvement of the crystallinity and photocatalytic property of zinc oxide as calcination product of Zn–Al layered double hydroxide. J Alloys Compd 539:154–160

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ali Ahmed AA, Talib ZA, Hussein MZ (2012) Thermal, optical and dielectric properties of Zn–Al layered double hydroxide. Appl Clay Sci 56:68–76

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bai ZQ, Liu ZW (2017) A broadband photodetector based on Rhodamine B-sensitized ZnO nanowires film. Sci Rep 7:11384

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen X, Du Q, Yang W, Liu W, Miao Z, Yang P (2018) A double-layered photoanode made of ZnO/TiO 2 composite nanoflowers and TiO 2 nanorods for high efficiency dye-sensitized solar cells. J Solid State Electrochem 22:685–691

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Darbari S, Ahmadi V, Afzali P, Abdi Y, Feda M (2014) Reduced graphene oxide/ZnO hybrid structure for high-performance photodetection. J Nanopart Res 16:2798

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fine GF, Cavanagh LM, Afonja A, Binions R (2010) Metal oxide semi-conductor gas sensors in environmental monitoring. Sensors 10:5469–5502

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Foruzin LJ, Rezvani Z, Nejati K (2016) Fabrication of TiO 2@ ZnAl-layered double hydroxide based anode material for dye-sensitized solar cell. RSC Adv 6:10912–10918

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gao J, Qiu H-J, Wen Y, Chiang F-K, Wang Y (2016) Enhanced electrochemical supercapacitance of binder-free nanoporous ternary metal oxides/metal electrode. J Colloid Interface Sci 474:18–24

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gu Y, Lu Z, Chang Z, Liu J, Lei X, Li Y, Sun X (2013) NiTi layered double hydroxide thin films for advanced pseudocapacitor electrodes. J Mater Chem A 1:10655–10661

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gupta B, Jain A, Mehra R (2010) Development and characterization of sol-gel derived Al doped ZnO/p-Si photodiode. J Mater Sci Technol 26:223–227

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hu L, Zhu L, He H, Guo Y, Pan G, Jiang J, Jin Y, Sun L, Ye Z (2013) Colloidal chemically fabricated ZnO: Cu-based photodetector with extended UV-visible detection waveband. Nanoscale 5:9577–9581

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kamiya T, Nomura K, Hosono H (2010) Subgap states, doping and defect formation energies in amorphous oxide semiconductor a-InGaZnO4 studied by density functional theory. Phys Status Solidi A 207:1698–1703

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lan M, Fan G, Sun W, Li F (2013) Synthesis of hybrid Zn–Al–In mixed metal oxides/carbon nanotubes composite and enhanced visible-light-induced photocatalytic performance. Appl Surf Sci 282:937–946

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Law M, Greene LE, Johnson JC, Saykally R, Yang P (2005) Nanowire dye-sensitized solar cells. Nat Mater 4:455–459

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lee Y, Yu SH, Jeon J, Kim H, Lee JY, Kim H, Ahn JH, Hwang E, Cho JH (2015) Hybrid structures of organic dye and graphene for ultrahigh gain photodetectors. Carbon 88:165–172

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lehtinen KE, Zachariah MR (2001) Effect of coalescence energy release on the temporal shape evolution of nanoparticles. Phys Rev B 63:205402

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leung YH, He Z, Luo L, Tsang C, Wong N, Zhang W, Lee S (2010) ZnO nanowires array p-n homojunction and its application as a visible-blind ultraviolet photodetector. Appl Phys Lett 96:053102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mathew S, Yella A, Gao P, Humphry-Baker R, Curchod BFE, Ashari-Astani N, Tavernelli I, Rothlisberger U, Nazeeruddin MK, Grätzel M (2014) Dye-sensitized solar cells with 13% efficiency achieved through the molecular engineering of porphyrin sensitizers. Nat Chem 6:242–247

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Musselman KP, Marin A, Schmidt-Mende L, MacManus-Driscoll JL (2012) Incompatible length scales in nanostructured Cu2O solar cells. Adv Funct Mater 22:2202–2208

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nasiri N, Bo R, Wang F, Fu L, Tricoli A (2015) Ultraporous electron-depleted ZnO nanoparticle networks for highly sensitive portable visible-blind UV photodetectors. Adv Mater 27:4336–4343

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • O'regan B, Grätzel M (1991) A low-cost, high-efficiency solar cell based on dye-sensitized colloidal TiO2 films. Nature 353:737–740

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Qadir KW, Ahmad Z, Sulaiman K (2014) Performance enhancement of NiTsPc based photo sensor using treated TiO2 NPs film. J Nanopart Res 16:2705

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qadir KW, Ahmad Z, Sulaiman K, Yap CC, Touati F (2015) Binary blend based dye sensitized photo sensor using PCPDTBT and MEH-PPV composite as a light sensitizer. Synth Met 210:392–397

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roslan NA, Abdullah SM, Majid WHA, Supangat A (2018) Investigation of VTP: PC71BM organic composite as highly responsive organic photodetector. Sensors Actuators A Phys 279:361–366

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Salih EY, Abbas Z, Al Ali SHH (2014) Hussein MZ (2014) dielectric behaviour of Zn/Al-NO3 LDHs filled with polyvinyl chloride composite at low microwave frequencies. Adv Mater Sci Eng 2014:1–6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salih EY, Sabri MFM, Hussein MZ, Sulaiman K, Said SM, Saifullah B, Bashir MBA (2018a) Structural, optical and electrical properties of ZnO/ZnAl2O4 nanocomposites prepared via thermal reduction approach. J Mater Sci 53:581–590

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Salih EY, Sabri MFM, Sulaiman K, Hussein MZ, Said SM, Usop R, Salleh MFM, Ali Bashir MB (2018b) Thermal, structural, textural and optical properties of ZnO/ZnAl2O4 mixed metal oxide-based Zn/Al layered double hydroxide. Mater Res Exp 5:116202

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sarijo SH, Ghazali SAISM, Hussein MZ, Sidek NJ (2013) Synthesis of nanocomposite 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid with layered double hydroxide: physicochemical characterization and controlled release properties. J Nanopart Res 15:1356

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sing KS (1985) Reporting physisorption data for gas/solid systems with special reference to the determination of surface area and porosity (recommendations 1984). Pure Appl Chem 57:603–619

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tauc J (1968) Optical properties and electronic structure of amorphous Ge and Si. Mater Res Bull 3:37–46

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang G, Yang M, Li Z, Lin K, Jin Q, Xing C, Hu Z, Wang D (2013) Synthesis and characterization of Zn-doped MgAl-layered double hydroxide nanoparticles as PVC heat stabilizer. J Nanopart Res 15:1882

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang C, Chen X, Chen F, Shao J (2018) Organic photodetectors based on copper phthalocyanine films prepared by a multiple drop casting method. Org Electron

  • Yang Y, Yan X, Hu X, Feng R, Zhou M (2017) In-situ growth of ZIF-8 on layered double hydroxide: effect of Zn/Al molar ratios on their structural, morphological and adsorption properties. J Colloid Interface Sci 505:206–212

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yu SH, Lee Y, Jang SK, Kang J, Jeon J, Lee C, Lee JY, Kim H, Hwang E, Lee S, Cho JH (2014) Dye-sensitized MoS2 photodetector with enhanced spectral photoresponse. ACS Nano 8:8285–8291

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zafar Q, Najeeb MA, Ahmad Z, Sulaiman K (2015) Organic–inorganic hybrid nanocomposite for enhanced photo-sensing of PFO-DBT: MEH-PPV: PC 71 BM blend-based photodetector. J Nanopart Res 17:372

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang F, Niu S, Guo W, Zhu G, Liu Y, Zhang X, Wang ZL (2013) Piezo-phototronic effect enhanced visible/UV photodetector of a carbon-fiber/ZnO-CdS double-shell microwire. ACS Nano 7:4537–4544

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang L, Liu J, Xiao H, Liu D, Qin Y, Wu H, Li H, du N, Hou W (2014) Preparation and properties of mixed metal oxides based layered double hydroxide as anode materials for dye-sensitized solar cell. Chem Eng J 250:1–5

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao X, Wang L, Xu X, Lei X, Xu S, Zhang F (2012) Fabrication and photocatalytic properties of novel ZnO/ZnAl2O4 nanocomposite with ZnAl2O4 dispersed inside ZnO network. AICHE J 58:573–582

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu J, Zhu Z, Zhang H, Lu H, Qiu Y, Zhu L, Küppers S (2016) Enhanced photocatalytic activity of Ce-doped Zn-Al multi-metal oxide composites derived from layered double hydroxide precursors. J Colloid Interface Sci 481:144–157

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu Y, Zhu R, Zhu G, Wang M, Chen Y, Zhu J, Xi Y, He H (2018) Plasmonic Ag coated Zn/Ti-LDH with excellent photocatalytic activity. Appl Surf Sci 433:458–467

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to sincerely acknowledge the Ministry of Higher Education, and the University of Malaya, Malaysia, for their support of the current study through Postgraduate Research Grants (PG030-2015B), and (PG041-2015B) and Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) FP064-2016.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. NanoMicro Engineering Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Ethar Yahya Salih & Mohd Faizul Mohd Sabri

  2. Solid State Nanodevices Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Ethar Yahya Salih & Suhana Mohd Said

  3. Schools of Applied Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

    Sin Tee Tan & Chi Chin Yap

  4. Low Dimensional Materials Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Khaulah Sulaiman

  5. Materials Synthesis and Characterization Laboratory, Institute of Advanced Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Mohd Zobir Hussein

Authors
  1. Ethar Yahya Salih
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mohd Faizul Mohd Sabri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sin Tee Tan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Khaulah Sulaiman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Mohd Zobir Hussein
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Suhana Mohd Said
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Chi Chin Yap
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohd Faizul Mohd Sabri.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

ESM 1

(DOCX 443 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Salih, E.Y., Sabri, M.F.M., Tan, S.T. et al. Preparation and characterization of ZnO/ZnAl2O4-mixed metal oxides for dye-sensitized photodetector using Zn/Al-layered double hydroxide as precursor. J Nanopart Res 21, 55 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-019-4501-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-019-4501-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation