Densely packed setose ZnO nanorod arrays for dye sensitized solar cells

•We successfully synthesized new nano-structure using ZnO.•Densely packed setose shape with wide leaf-shaped base ZnO sheet has been fabricated.•We examine the photovoltaic performance from the newly synthesized structure by applying them to dye-sensitized solar cell.

Dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have been fabricated with setose ZnO nanostructures. Curved plate ZnO nanosheet (CPZ) layer has been built up by air-brush method and conventional ZnO nanosheet has been synthesized with methanolic solution method. ZnO nanorods were grown on both nanosheet structures. The setose ZnO nanostructure was grown on CPZ layer and applied at photoanode for DSSCs. The performance of DSSCs is developed due to the structure of easy penetrating for dye solution and large surface area of the novel nanostructure of ZnO photoelectrode.