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Electrospinning of Photocatalytic Electrodes for Dye-sensitized Solar Cells
Published on: June 28, 2017
Highly active nanocrystalline TiO(2) photoelectrodes
Tereza M Paronyan1, A M Kechiantz, M C Lin
1Department of Applied Chemistry and Institute of Molecular Science, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan. Institute for Physical Research, National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, Ashtarak-2, Armenia.
Nanotechnology
|July 7, 2011
Summary
A new method fabricates highly photoactive titanium dioxide (TiO2) electrodes for solar cells. Adjusting the pH of the TiO2 gel significantly boosts solar cell efficiency by up to 30%.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Renewable Energy
Background:
- Efficient solar energy conversion is crucial for sustainable energy solutions.
- Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a key material in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) due to its photoactive properties.
- Fabrication methods for TiO2 electrodes significantly impact solar cell performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a simple method for fabricating highly photoactive, two-layer TiO2 electrodes for solar cell applications.
- To investigate the effect of pH on TiO2 nanoparticle synthesis and its impact on solar cell efficiency.
- To optimize TiO2 film morphology for enhanced photocurrent and overall energy conversion.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a dense, nanocrystalline TiO2 layer on FTO substrates using diluted titanium acetylacetonate precursor.
- Synthesis of amorphous TiO2 nanoparticles via sol-gel and hydrothermal methods (200°C) in an acidic environment (pH<1).
- Neutralization of the acidic TiO2 gel with ammonia to achieve a pH of 5, followed by film deposition and characterization (SEM, AFM, XRD).
Main Results:
- Highly interconnected, nanoporous, transparent, and active TiO2 films were successfully fabricated from the pH 5 gel.
- SEM, AFM, and XRD analyses confirmed the crystal structure, nanoparticle size, and surface morphology.
- Increasing the TiO2 gel pH from 2.1 to 5 enhanced DSSC conversion efficiency by approximately 30%, reaching 8.83% compared to 6.61% without ammonia.
Conclusions:
- The developed method provides a simple route to highly photoactive TiO2 electrodes.
- Optimizing the pH of the TiO2 gel is critical for enhancing solar cell performance.
- The fabricated TiO2 films show significant potential for improving dye-sensitized solar cell efficiency.
