Optimization of nanoparticle structure for improved conversion efficiency of dye solar cell
- Centre of Innovative Nanostructure and Nanodevices, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Seri Iskandar, 31750 Tronoh, Perak (Malaysia)
- Fundamental and Applied Sciences Department, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Seri Iskandar, 31750 Tronoh, Perak (Malaysia)
Heavy dye loading and the ability to contain the light within the thin layer (typically ∼12 μm) are the requirement needed for the photoelectrode material in order to enhance the harvesting efficiency of dye solar cell. This can be realized by optimizing the particle size with desirable crystal structure. The paper reports the investigation on the dependency of the dye loading and light scattering on the properties of nanostructured photoelectrode materials by comparing 4 different samples of TiO{sub 2} in the form of nanoparticles and micron-sized TiO{sub 2} aggregates which composed of nanocrystallites. Their properties were evaluated by using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and UVVis spectroscopy while the performance of the fabricated test cells were measured using universal photovoltaic test system (UPTS) under 1000 W/cm{sup 2} intensity of radiation. Nano sized particles provide large surface area which allow for greater dye adsorption but have no ability to retain the incident light in the TiO{sub 2} film. In contrast, micron-sized particles in the form of aggregates can generate light scattering allowing the travelling distance of the light to be extended and increasing the interaction between the photons and dye molecules adsorb on TiO{sub 2}nanocrystallites. This resulted in an improvement in the conversion efficiency of the aggregates that demonstrates the close relation between light scattering effect and the structure of the photolectrode film.
- OSTI ID:
- 22308080
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1621, Issue 1; Conference: ICSAS 2014: 3. international conference on fundamental and applied sciences: Innovative research in applied sciences for a sustainable future, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), 3-5 Jun 2014; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
ADSORPTION
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DYES
LIGHT SCATTERING
NANOPARTICLES
NANOSTRUCTURES
OPTIMIZATION
PARTICLE SIZE
PHOTOVOLTAIC EFFECT
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SOLAR CELLS
SURFACE AREA
THIN FILMS
TITANIUM OXIDES
VISIBLE RADIATION
X-RAY DIFFRACTION