Dye Stabilization and Enhanced Photoelectrode Wettability in Water-Based Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells through Post-assembly Atomic Layer Deposition of TiO ₂

Journal Article · Fri Jul 26 00:00:00 EDT 2013 · Journal of the American Chemical Society

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ja406538a· OSTI ID:1386096

Son, Ho-Jin ^[1]; Prasittichai, Chaiya ^[1]; Mondloch, Joseph E. ^[1]; Luo, Langli ^[2]; Wu, Jinsong ^[2]; Kim, Dong Wook ^[1]; Farha, Omar K. ^[1]; Hupp, Joseph T. ^[3]

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1. Department of Chemistry and Argonne-Northwestern Solar Energy Research (ANSER) Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
2. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, NUANCE Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
3. Department of Chemistry and Argonne-Northwestern Solar Energy Research (ANSER) Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States; Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States

Detachment (desorption) of molecular dyes from photoelectrodes is one of the major limitations for the long-term operation of dye-sensitized solar cells. Here we demonstrate a method to greatly inhibit this loss by growing a transparent metal oxide (TiO2) on the dye-coated photoelectrode via atomic layer deposition (ALD). TiO2-enshrouded sensitizers largely resist detachment, even in pH 10.7 ethanol, a standard solution for intentional removal of molecular dyes from photoelectrodes. Additionally, the ALD post-treatment renders the otherwise hydrophobic dye-coated surface hydrophilic, thereby enhancing photoelectrode pore-filling with aqueous solution.

• Research Organization: Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Argonne-Northwestern Solar Energy Research Center (ANSER)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
• DOE Contract Number: SC0001059
• OSTI ID: 1386096
• Journal Information: Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol. 135, Issue 31; Related Information: ANSER partners with Northwestern University (lead); Argonne National Laboratory; University of Chicago; University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Yale University; ISSN 0002-7863
• Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
catalysis (homogeneous)
catalysis (heterogeneous)
solar (photovoltaic)
solar (fuels)
photosynthesis (natural and artificial)
bio-inspired
hydrogen and fuel cells
electrodes - solar
defects
charge transport
spin dynamics
membrane
materials and chemistry by design
optics
synthesis (novel materials)
synthesis (self-assembly)