Great improvement of photoelectric property from co-sensitization of TiO{sub 2} electrodes with CdS quantum dots and dye N719 in dye-sensitized solar cells

Journal Article · Mon Jul 15 00:00:00 EDT 2013 · Materials Research Bulletin

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MATERRESBULL.2013.03.009· OSTI ID:22290467

Li, Jing ^[1]; Zhao, Li ^[1]; Wang, Shimin ^[1]; Hu, Jinghua ^[2]; Dong, Binghai; Lu, Hongbing; Wan, Li ^[1]; Wang, Ping ^[2]

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1. Ministry-of-Education, Key Laboratory for the Green Preparation and Application of Functional Materials, Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062 (China)
2. School of Science, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070 (China)

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • TiO{sub 2} film electrodes have been successfully sensitized with CdS QDs. • DSSC based on CdS QDs-sensitized TiO{sub 2} film with 4 min has the highest efficiency. • CdS QDs can improve the electron transport and reduce the electron recombination. • Our work open up a new avenue for the development of DSSCs. - Abstract: The TiO{sub 2} film electrodes sensitized with CdS quantum dots (QDs) via chemical bath deposition method were successfully prepared as the photoanode of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Microstructural characterizations by XRD, SEM, TEM and EDX show that the CdS nanocrystals with the cubic structure have intimate contact to the TiO{sub 2} films. The amount of CdS QDs can be controlled by varying the dipping time. The experiment results demonstrate that the CdS QDs-sensitized solar cells show a wider absorption in the solar spectrum and an enhanced surface photovoltage response. The maximal photoelectric conversion efficiency of 5.57% was achieved by the DSSC based on CdS QDs-sensitized TiO{sub 2} film with 4 min. The performance improvement is ascribed to the enhancement of electron transport, the reduction of electron recombination and the long electron lifetime.

• OSTI ID: 22290467
• Journal Information: Materials Research Bulletin, Vol. 48, Issue 7; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2013 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0025-5408
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ABSORPTION
CADMIUM SULFIDES
DYES
ELECTRONS
FILMS
MICROSTRUCTURE
QUANTUM DOTS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SOLAR CELLS
TITANIUM OXIDES