Enhanced power conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells using nanoparticle/nanotube double layered film

To enhance the power conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cell, a new type of double layered photoanode was prepared using TiO2 nanoparticle in under layer and TiO2 nanotube in upper layer. TiO2 nanotubes were synthesized by hydrothermal polymerization. The morphology and the properties were investigated and characterized by Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), Field Emission-Transmission Electron Microscopy (FE-TEM), Wide Angle X-ray Diffraction (WAXD), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller test (BET). The light-to-electricity conversion efficiency was improved with the double-layered TiO2 film, which in turn, significantly increases the power conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). This is due to large dye adsorption of light-scatters as well as TiO2 main layer. Moreover, rapid electron transport and light-havesting efficiency contributed to high conversion efficiency. The power conversion efficiency of an optimized cell (photoanode consisting of 13-15 microm main-layer and TNT over-layer) was 8.06% under simulated Air mass 1.5 (AM 1.5) global sunlight (1 Sun, 100 mW/cm2).