Three-dimensional flower-like rutile TiO₂ microsphere composed of nanorods: a potential material as light scattering layer for DSSCs

Abstract

The low spectrum utilization and the recombination of photo-generated electrons are the main challenges for improving the performance of dye sensitized solar cells(DSSCs). In this article, a three-dimensional flower-like rutile titanium dioxide(TDF-TiO₂) was successfully synthesized via a simple sol-thermal process. X-Ray diffraction patterns(XRD) and scan electron microscopy(SEM) images exhibit that the TDF-TiO₂ are the rutile TiO₂ microsphere composed of lots of regular cuboid nanorods. Applying this TDF-TiO₂ as light scattering layer on the photoanode of DSSCs, the devices present an excellent photovoltage performance, yielding a power conversion efficiency(PCE) of 7.69%, which can be mainly attributed to the enhanced light utilization and the reduced recombination of pho-to-generated electrons upon a combined analysis of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS), open-circuit vol-tage decay(OCVD), and intensity-modulated photocurrent spectroscopy and intensity-modulated photovoltage spec-troscopy(IMPS/IMVS), etc. As a conclusion, TDF-TiO₂ is a potential material as light scattering layer and optical transition medium to improve the performance of DSSCs, and this work further demonstrated that regulating the morphology and particle size of TiO₂ is an efficient approach for enhancing the performance of DSSCs by optimizing the utilization of light and the transporting behaviors of photo-generated electrons.

Keywords

Dye sensitized solar cell / Photoanode / Three-dimensional flower-like rutile TiO₂ / Light scattering layer

References

[1] Subramaniam M. R., Kumaresan D. Chem. Phys. Chem., 2015, 16(12): 2543.

[2] Liu G., Yang H. G., Pan J., Yang Y. Q., Lu G. Q., Cheng H. Chem. Rev., 2014, 114(19): 9559.

[3] Wooh S., Yoon H., Jung J., Lee Y., Koh J., Lee B., Kang Y., Char K. Adv. Mater., 2013, 25(22): 3111.

[4] Li K., Xu J., Shi W., Wang Y., Peng T. J. Mater. Chem. A, 2014, 2(6): 1886.

[5] Wang B., Wan J., Liu Q., Zhang J., Wang H. RSC Adv., 2015, 5(101): 82968.

[6] Park K., Dhayal M. Electrochemi. Commun., 2014, 49: 47.

[7] Wang G., Zhu X., Yu J. J. Power Sources, 2015, 278: 344.

[8] Qadir M. B., Sun K. C., Sahito I. A., Arbab A. A., Choi B. J., Yi S. C., Jeong S. H. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells, 2015, 140: 141.

[9] Yan K., Qiu Y., Chen W., Zhang M., Yang S. Energy Environ. Sci., 2011, 4(6): 2168.

[10] Wen Q., Dong L., Sun X., Zhuang J. Chem. Res. Chinese Universi-ties, 2016, 32(3): 437.

[11] Wang W., Zhang H., Wang R., Feng M., Chen Y. Nanoscale, 2014, 6(4): 2390.

[12] Guo K., Li M., Fang X., Liu X., Zhu Y., Hu Z., Zhao X. J. Mater. Chem. A, 2013, 1(24): 7229.

[13] Sang L., Zhao Y., Burda C. Chem. Rev., 2014, 114(19): 9283.

[14] Sigmund W., Bak T., Alim M. A., Idris M., Ionescu M., Prince K., Sahdan M. Z., Sopian K., Teridie M., Sigmund W. Chem. Soc. Rev., 2015, 44(23): 8424.

[15] Fu Y., Peng M., Lv Z., Cai X., Hou S., Wu H., Yu X., Kafafy H., Zou D. Nano Energy, 2013, 2(4): 537.

[16] Wooh S., Kim T., Song D., Lee Y., Lee T., Bergmann V. W., Weber S., Bisquert J., Kang Y., Char K. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2015, 7(46): 25741.

[17] Chen B., Sha J., Li W., Liu E., Shi C., He C., Li J., Zhao N. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2016, 8(4): 2495.

[18] Yao N., Huang J., Fu K., Deng X., Ding M., Xu X. RSC Adv, 2016, 6(21): 17546.

[19] Wang X., Jiang Y., Zhu H., Zhang J. Chem. Res. Chinese Universi-ties, 2011, 27(3): 486.

[20] Wu W., Xu Y., Rao H., Su C., Kuang D. J Phys. Chem. C, 2014, 118(30): 16426.

[21] Ghadirzadeh A., Passoni L., Grancini G., Terraneo G., Bassi A., Pe-trozza A., Fonzo F. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2015, 7(14): 7451.

[22] Qu J., Li G. R., Gao X. P. Energy Environ. Sci., 2010, 3(12): 2003.

[23] Ong W. J., Tan L. L., Chai S. P., Yong S., Mohamed A. R. Nanoscale, 2014, 6(4): 1946.

[24] Sarkar D., Ghosh C. K., Chattopadhyay K. K. Cryst. Eng. Comm, 2012, 14(8): 2683.

[25] Yan J., Liu P., Ma C., Lin Z., Yang G. Nanoscale, 2016, 8(16): 8826.

[26] Ding Y., Mo L., Tao L., Ma Y., Hu L., Huang Y., Fang X., Yao J., Xi X., Dai S. J. Power Sources, 2014, 272: 1046.

[27] Peng H., Li X., Xu L., Wu P. Chin. Chem. Lett., 2014, 24(7): 559.

[28] Tauc J., Grigorovic R., Vancu A. Phys. Stat. Sol., 1966, 15(2): 627.

[29] Pan J. H., Wang X. Z., Huang Q., Shen C., Koh Z. Y., Wang Q., En-gel A., Bahnemann D. W. Adv. Funct. Mater., 2014, 24(1): 95.

[30] Gu J., Khan J., Chai Z., Yuan Y., Yu X., Liu P., Wu M., Ma W. J. Power Sources, 2016, 303: 57.

[31] Liu W., Liang Z., Kou D., Hu L., Dai S. Chem. J. Chinese Universi-ties, 2012, 33(12): 2697.

[32] Bisquert J., Fabregat-Santiago F., Mora-Seró I., Garcia-Belmonte G., Giménez S. J. Phys. Chem. C, 2009, 113(40): 17278.

[33] Wei L., Na Y., Yang Y., Fan R., Wang P., Li L. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2015, 17(2): 1273.

[34] Wang H., Bai Y., Wu Q., Zhou W., Zhang H., Li J., Guo L. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2011, 13(15): 7008.

[35] Zaban A., Greenshtein M., Bisquert J. Chem. Phys. Chem., 2003, 4(8): 859.

[36] Miao X., Pan K., Liao Y., Zhou W., Pan Q., Tian G., Wang G. J. Mater. Chem. A, 2013, 1(34): 98532.