Title: Fabrication and analysis of photoelectrode based on TiO2 nanotube/phosphor mixed TiO2 nanoparticle film for dye-sensitised solar cells

Authors: Dong Hoon Cho; Kyung Hwan Kim; Chang Seob Kim; Hyung Wook Choi

Addresses: Department of Electrical Engineering, Gachon University, 1342 Seongnam-daero, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-Si, Gyeonggi-Do 461-701, South Korea ' Department of Electrical Engineering, Gachon University, 1342 Seongnam-daero, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-Si, Gyeonggi-Do 461-701, South Korea ' Department of Energy IT, Gachon University, 1342 Seongnam-daero, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-Si, Gyeonggi-Do 461-701, South Korea ' Department of Electrical Engineering, Gachon University, 1342 Seongnam-daero, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-Si, Gyeonggi-Do 461-701, South Korea

Abstract: Dye-sensitised solar cells (DSSCs) have attracted scientific attention because of their advantages over former Si-based devices, such as flexibility, light weight, low cost, and low toxicity of the manufacturing process. Generally, DSSCs are composed of a titanium dioxide (TiO2) layer as the working electrode, on which an anchored organic dye is absorbed, a Pt layer as the counter electrode, and an electrolyte containing a redox couple (I−/I3−) between them. However, a number of problems remain to be solved to improve their efficiency. We fabricated a hybrid photoelectrode comprising a TiO2 nanotube (TNT)/phosphor mixed TiO2 nanoparticle film on a TiO2 passivating layer to improve the dye adsorption and charge transport as well as reduce the electron recombination. In this paper, we describe the enhancement of the photovoltaic performance of a DSSC obtained via using a TiO2 passivation layer and a TNT/phosphor mixed TiO2 paste photoelectrode. The DSSCs with FTO glass pretreated in 90 mM TiCl4 for 90 min exhibited the highest efficiency of 5.98% and a JSC of 13.17 mA/cm2.

Keywords: dye-sensitised solar cells; DSSC; TiCl4; titanium tetrachloride; TiO2 nanotubes; phosphor; ZnGa2O4; zinc gallium; tetraoxygen; oxozone; Mn2+; manganese; photoelectrodes; nanoparticles; nanotechnology; titanium dioxide; titania; solar energy; solar power; dye adsorption; charge transport; electron recombination; photovoltaic performance.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNT.2016.080358

International Journal of Nanotechnology, 2016 Vol.13 No.10/11/12, pp.778 - 789

Published online: 16 Nov 2016 *

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