The preparation of porous ZnO films is of interest to utilize the sensitization of wide-bandgap semiconductors for a photoelectrochemical photovoltaic cell. Electrochemical deposition of ZnO films from aqueous Zn salt solutions is an attractive deposition method because of a wide accessible range of crystal size and film texture. If molecular adsorbates are added to the deposition bath, films of high porosity but still maintained high crystallinity can be prepared. Eosin Y is a very suitable molecule to serve this purpose. The influence of the molecular adsorbates represents an important optimization parameter. The reactions are compatible with a large number of conductive substrates, even textile fibers.

In this study, ZnO/Eosin Y hybrid materials were electrodeposited on (0001) GaN and on (0001) ZnO to allow a detailed investigation of the structure and texture of such electrodeposited films. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the formation of domains with different crystal sizes pointing at a varying density of nucleation sites on the substrate. X-ray diffraction showed the expected preferential orientation with the c- plane of ZnO parallel to GaN (0001) at good in-plane orientation as seen in rocking curves. The peak positions of the diffractogram were shifted corresponding to a lattice expansion by 3.6 % in the c- direction. This clearly indicated the strong influence of the Eosin Y molecules adsorbed during the growth of ZnO.

Conductively coated textiles on the other hand, represent a substrate of high technical interest since textile- integrated electronics, sensing elements and also solar cells will offer almost perfect opportunities to utilize portable electronics. Textiles are characterized by a very rugged nature, light weight and extreme flexibility. Depositions on textiles on the other hand ask for an optimized control of deposition conditions, hence a detailed kinetic analysis appears necessary.

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