Hydrothermally synthesized nickel oxide (NiO) nano petals

P-type semiconductor NiO is a wide bandgap, cost-effective and promising material as a counter electrode in the DSSC (dye-sensitized solar cells). In a solar cell device, a counter electrode helps in allowing holes to pass through the electrolyte towards the load and blocking the electrons to pass through it. In the present work, a thin film of NiO has been synthesized on an FTO substrate via hydrothermal technique in the ammonia evaporated environment. FESEM images show nano petals, porous like structures grown on the thin film of NiO which provides well absorption of the electrolyte on it which acts as a redox mediator. Diffraction peaks in the XRD plot confirm the synthesized thin film is NiO. The Calculated bandgap of the synthesized thin film of NiO is found to be 4.01 eV. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) helps in analysing the conductivity of synthesized NiO thin film which can be used in the application of solar cells.