The hydrothermal synthesis of SNO2 nanoparticles derived from tin chloride precursor for the electron transport layer of perovskite solar cells

Abstract

Tin oxide (SnO2) semiconductor is recognized as a highly promising material for the electron transport layer (ETL) in perovskite solar cells (PSC) due to their wide band gap energy and high electron mobility. This material has been considered as the potential alternative material for substituting the conventional titanium dioxide (TiO2). In the form of nanostructure material, it is expected that SnO2 as the ETL in PSC device can be significantly improved owing to its high surface area leading to more intensive photon absorption. In this present study, SnO2 nanoparticles were synthesized via the hydrothermal method with temperature variations ranging from 120 °C to 160 °C for 16 hours. The as-synthesized samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and an ultraviolet–visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometer. The SnO2 nanoparticles were then integrated into the PSC device as the ETL, and the performance testing was conducted using a semiconductor parameter analyzer to obtain the I-V curve. On the basis of investigation results, it has been found that the temperature used during the hydrothermal process plays a crucial role in determining the crystallinity, morphology, and band gap energy of the SnO2 nanoparticles. The results of the PSC performance test indicate that SnO2 nanoparticles synthesized at a hydrothermal temperature of 150 °C demonstrated the highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 3.89 %. This outcome confirms the viability of SnO2 nanoparticles produced through the hydrothermal method