SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF CUPRIC OXIDE NANOPARTICLES FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC APPLICATIONS

ABSTRACT

A simple inexpensive chemical route has been identified and used to synthesize cupric oxide nanoparticles suitable for photovoltaic applications. X-ray diffraction analysis showed the synthesized nanoparticles to be a pure cupric oxide phase. The particle size and particle size distribution of the cupric oxide nanoparticles were obtained by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) whereas the crystallite size and crystallite size distribution were obtained by X-ray diffraction peak broadening analysis. The particle size was found to be between 20 nm and 60 nm, an indication that cupric oxide nanoparticles are dominant in the sample produced and analysed. The particle size distribution obtained from cumulative percentage frequency plots features a log-normal function. Absorbance measurements and analysis show that the material has an absorbance peak around 314 nm and an average energy bandgap of 1.48 eV, making it a good candidate for photovoltaic applications. A thin film of average thickness of 1.47 microns made, was used to determine the conductivity of the material, which is 8.541×10−2 Ω−1cm−1. Incident radiation of various wavelengths from the highest (600 nm) to the lowest (300 nm), caused decrease in resistance of the thin film sample, an indication that the material responds favourably to visible radiation making it suitable for photovoltaic and photo electronic applications. We emphasize that a low cost approach has been used successfully to synthesize cupric oxide nanoparticles with the suitable optical and electrical properties required for application in the photovoltaic and photo electronic industries.