Sains Malaysiana 45(8)(2016): 1197–1200

Effect of Annealing Temperatures on TiO2 Thin Films Prepared by Spray Pyrolysis Deposition Method

(Kesan Suhu Sepuhlindap ke atas Filem Nipis TiO2 Disediakan melalui Kaedah Semburan Pemendapan Pirolisis)

F.I.M. FAZLI*, N. NAYAN, M.K. AHMAD, M.L. MOHD NAPI, N.K.A. HAMED & N.S. KHALID

Microelectronics and Nanotechnology-Shamsuddin, Research Centre (MiNT- SRC), Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400 Batu Pahat, Johor Darul Takzim, Malaysia

Received: 20 April 2015/Accepted: 12 October 2015

ABSTRACT

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles thin film has been successfully synthesized by a spray pyrolysis deposition method by using an air compressor on a fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate and was annealed at different temperature. TiO₂ is the most common oxide as an electrode in dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) which still has chances of improvements to increase its efficiency as an electrode. The efficiency of a DSSC was relatively low but modifications on every part of a DSSC were currently in research progress and an increase in adsorbed dye molecules was considered a potential. Thus, the influences of annealing temperature on structural and morphological properties of TiO₂ have been studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), respectively, while the efficiency of the films in a solar cell was studied by a solar simulator. The FESEM result showed several degrees of porosity obtained by varying the annealing temperature. The crystallinity of TiO₂ investigated by XRD showed that the crystallinity of the TiO₂ thin films was generally unaffected by the annealing temperature. The relationship between the properties and the efficiency of the films as an electrode was also studied.

Keywords: Crystallinity; electrical properties; semiconductor; spray deposition; surface morphology; thin films; TiO₂

ABSTRAK

Filem nipis nanopartikel titanium dioksida (TiO₂) telah berjaya disintesis oleh kaedah pemendapan semburan pirolisis dengan menggunakan pemampat udara pada substrat fluorin-terdop timah oksida (FTO) dan telah disepuhlindap pada suhu yang berbeza. TiO₂ adalah oksida yang paling biasa digunakan sebagai elektrod dalam sel solar pekapencelup (DSSC) yang masih mempunyai peluang untuk penambahbaikan bagi meningkatkan kecekapannya sebagai elektrod. Kecekapan DSSC adalah agak rendah tetapi pengubahsuaian pada setiap bahagian DSSC masih dalam proses penyelidikan dan peningkatan dalam jumlah molekul pewarna yang terjerap dianggap berpotensi untuk meningkatkan kecekapan DSSC. Pengaruh suhu penyepuhlindapan pada sifat struktur dan morfologi TiO2 telah dikaji dengan menggunakan pembelauan sinar-X (XRD) dan pelepasan medan mikroskop elektron pengimbas (FESEM) manakala kecekapan filem dalam sel solar telah dikaji oleh simulator suria. Keputusan FESEM menunjukkan beberapa darjah keliangan diperoleh dengan perubahan suhu sepuhlindap. Kehabluran TiO₂ yang dikaji oleh XRD menunjukkan bahawa kehabluran filem nipis TiO₂ tidak terjejas oleh suhu penyepuhlindapan. Hubungan antara sifat dan kecekapan filem sebagai elektrod juga telah dikaji.

Kata kunci: Filem nipis; morfologi permukaan; penghabluran; semburan pemendapan; semikonduktor; sifat elektrik; TiO₂

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*Corresponding author; email: fatinizyanimohdfazli@outlook.com