Enhancing supercapacitor, photovoltaic and magnetic properties of SnO₂ nanoparticles doped with Cu and Zn ions

In this study, Cu- and Zn-doped SnO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by using the solvothermal method. The synthesized NPs were explored to check their supercapacitor, photovoltaic and magnetic properties. The Cu- doped SnO₂ NPs showed a high specific capacitance of 386 F g^-1 at 20 mV s^-1 in 1 M KOH electrolyte and remarkable catalytic performance as a counter electrode (CE) for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), achieving a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 10.70%, comparable to that of Pt CE. Moreover, Cu-doped SnO₂ NPs displayed the highest room- temperature ferromagnetism, indicating their potential for magnetic device applications. Our results suggest that doped SnO₂ NPs are promising candidates for multifunctional nanomaterials in energy and information technologies. (author)