Simple size-controlled fabrication of Zn2SnO4 nanostructures and study of their behavior in dye sensitized solar cells

Zn2SnO4 nanostructures were obtained via facile and rapid co-precipitation approach in presence of amines with different long chain as a novel basic and capping agents. The effect of different amines such as NH3, ethylenediamine, triethylenetetramine, tetraethylenepentamine on the size of Zn2SnO4 nanostructures were investigated. The results demonstrated that applying the appropriate amount of organic amine could be effective in particle size control. The obtained nanostructure products were specified by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy. Dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC) were created by the constructed electrodes as working electrode and then were studied by current density–voltage (J–V) curve. It was found that incorporating of TiO2 nanoparticles to optimized Zn2SnO4 nanostructures has significant role on the constructed DSSCs photovoltaic properties.