Mesoporous Hierarchical Anatase for Dye-sensitized Solar Cells Achieving Over 10% Conversion Efficiency

Abstract

Interest in both one-dimensional and hierarchical architectures of metal oxide semiconductors have intensified within the field of materials science over recent years. Herein, a new mesoporous anatase TiO 2 architecture that combines these two concepts, as it is composed of individual, high-aspect-ratio, nanoribbon-like components, was synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method without any surfactant or template. An 8.3 % solar-to-electric conversion efficiency was obtained when these structures were used in photoanodes for dye-sensitized solar cells, which are superior to commercial state-of-the-art TiO 2 (6.6 %), due to enhanced dye loading and efficient light scattering. To further improve the light scattering effect, a bi-layer structure was rationally designed (with this architecture as a scattering layer on top of a transparent, 12-µm-thick layer of nanocrystalline TiO 2 ). A high efficiency of 10.3 % was achieved, compared with an efficiency of 8.2 % for the control electrode (optimized transparent/reflective commercial titania paste) with a scattering layer of similar thickness.

Aggregated mesoporous nanoparticles for high surface area light scattering layer TiO2 photoanodes in Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

“…The most commonly used materials in DSC for the above four components are organometallic ruthenium complexes, titanium oxide (TiO 2 ), iodide/triiodide redox couple (I 3 -/I-) and platinum nanoparticles respectively 5 , 6 . To date, the highest efficiencies of DSC have been recorded using TiO 2 anatase nanoparticle photoanodes 3 , 4 due to excellent optoelectronic properties 7 – 9 , albeit with different sensitizers and redox electrolyte as compared to the above-mentioned system.…”

Highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cell performance from template derived high surface area mesoporous TiO2 nanospheres

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6] DSSCs typically consist of a uorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) layer, photoanode, dye, electrolyte, and counter electrode.…”

Tin Oxide Light‐Scattering Layer for Titania Photoanodes in Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

“…Double‐layered photoanodes made up of films of smaller (10 s of nm) nanoparticles deposited on the TCO and a second layer of larger particles (100 s of nm) on top to backscatter the light have been developed to enhance DSSC performance . A variety of TiO 2 structures such as hollow spheres, mesoporous beads, hierarchical microspheres, mesoporous microspheres, and others have been employed in the backscattering layer.…”