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Mathuku Thesis 8 18 23 with cert.pdf (3.83 MB)

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Spray Pyrolytic Deposition of Cadmium Telluride on Stainless Steel 304 Substrates

Mathuku, Silas Kyalo
http://orcid.org/0009-0004-6238-1838
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1692367961258513

Abstract Details

2023, Master of Science in Chemistry, Youngstown State University, Department of Biological Sciences and Chemistry.
Today’s society is mainly dependent on fossil energy sources despite being not sustainable, not renewable, and not environmentally friendly, as they generate a lot of carbon dioxide. Hydrogen is a promising substitute for fossil fuels. It is a clean fuel with water as the only oxidation product, thus less production of CO2. Cadmium telluride (CdTe) is a promising semiconductor material that could facilitate the use of solar energy in producing hydrogen gas. CdTe can be a p-type photoelectrode that can perform electron transfer processes with an electrolyte. As a cathode, it reduces hydrogen ions in water to form hydrogen gas. Spray pyrolysis method, which is simple and easy to use, cheap compared to vacuum deposition methods, can produce uniform films over large surfaces within a short time, many small substrates at the same time, and whose concentration of precursor solution remains constant with time, was used in this project. CdTe films for this project were fabricated on stainless steel 304 substrates at different substrate temperatures and spray times. The precursor solution was based on a mixture of CdCl2, TeO2, hydrazine, and EDTA. Characterization of the fabricated films was done using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), stylus profilometry, cyclic voltammetry, and linear sweep voltammetry. The fabricated CdTe films had a uniform and highly crystalline surface morphology, that was Te-rich (p-type) and exhibited photoactivity with the evolution of hydrogen gas. The best photoelectrode was fabricated by spraying a mixture of equal volumes of 0.02 M solutions of Cd and Te salts onto a SS 304 substrate held at 330°C for 3 min, which produced a 10 µm-thick film and a photocurrent of 5800 µA/cm2 observed at -0.5 V. When a dispersion of Pt catalyst was reduced onto it, a photocurrent of 7700 µA/cm2 was observed at -0.5 V, which compares well with other fabrication methods.
Clovis Linkous, PhD (Advisor)
Christopher Arntsen, PhD (Committee Member)
Allen Hunter, PhD (Committee Member)
Joe Simeonsson, PhD (Committee Member)
103 p.
Analytical Chemistry; Chemistry
Cadmium telluride; Spray Pyrolysis; Stainless steel substrates; 304; Photoelectrochemical measurement

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Mathuku, S. K. (2023). Spray Pyrolytic Deposition of Cadmium Telluride 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=ysu1692367961258513

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Mathuku, Silas. Spray Pyrolytic Deposition of Cadmium Telluride on Stainless Steel 304 Substrates. 2023. Youngstown State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1692367961258513.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Mathuku, Silas. "Spray Pyrolytic Deposition of Cadmium Telluride on Stainless Steel 304 Substrates." Master's thesis, Youngstown State University, 2023. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1692367961258513

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ysu1692367961258513
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This open access ETD is published by Youngstown State University and OhioLINK.