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Electrodeposition of CdTe on Stainless Steel 304 Substrates

Rutto, Patrick Kipkoech
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9460-9332
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1526375340335535

Abstract Details

2018, Master of Science in Chemistry, Youngstown State University, Department of Chemistry.
The energy we get from the sun is a key factor in electric power production on earth and in space applications. The development of photovoltaic cells has enabled a new direct method for solar electricity. However, the manufacturing cost of photovoltaic cells must be lowered to have widespread implementation. Among the leading candidates CdTe, is used for photovoltaic applications, since it has optimum band gap energy for the efficient conversion of solar energy into electricity. It is produced by a series of vacuum procedures, which is a significant part of its fabrication cost. In this work, cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin films were electrodeposited on stainless steel 304 substrates using a three-electrode system at a negative potential. Cadmium sulfate and tellurium dioxide in pH 1.8 H2SO4 were used as the cadmium and tellurium sources, respectively. Deposition conditions were adjusted to codeposit Cd and Te at the same rate. Films were deposited on stainless steel 304 as a relatively inexpensive substrate. However, to obtain a proper ohmic contact between CdTe and the steel, it was necessary to electrodeposit a thin interlayer of pure Te to achieve an ohmic contact. Electrodeposition of a thin Pt layer on top of the CdTe served to greatly increase the rate of H2 evolution. The structural and morphological properties of the resulting films were characterized using light/dark voltammetric methods, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Profilometry, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS).
Clovis Linkous, PhD (Advisor)
Tom Order, PhD (Committee Member)
Timothy Wagner, PhD (Committee Member)
68 p.
Analytical Chemistry; Chemistry; Condensed Matter Physics
Electrodeposition of CdTe; fabrication of CdTe photovoltaic cells through electrodeposition technique; photoelectrochemistry

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Rutto, P. K. (2018). Electrodeposition of CdTe on Stainless Steel 304 Substrates [Master's thesis, Youngstown State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1526375340335535

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Rutto, Patrick. Electrodeposition of CdTe on Stainless Steel 304 Substrates . 2018. Youngstown State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1526375340335535.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Rutto, Patrick. "Electrodeposition of CdTe on Stainless Steel 304 Substrates ." Master's thesis, Youngstown State University, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1526375340335535

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ysu1526375340335535
547
© 2018, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Youngstown State University and OhioLINK.