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Title: Enhanced conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells using a CNT-incorporated TiO{sub 2} slurry-based photoanode

Abstract

A new titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) slurry formulation is herein reported for the fabrication of TiO{sub 2} photoanode for use in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The prepared TiO{sub 2} photoanode featured a highly uniform mesoporous structure with well-dispersed TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles. The energy conversion efficiency of the resulting TiO{sub 2} slurry-based DSSC was ∼63% higher than that achieved by a DSSC prepared using a commercial TiO{sub 2} slurry. Subsequently, the incorporation of acid-treated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into the TiO{sub 2} slurry was examined. More specifically, the effect of varying the concentration of the CNTs in this slurry on the performance of the resulting DSSCs was studied. The chemical state of the CNTs-incorporated TiO{sub 2} photoanode was investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. A high energy conversion efficiency of 6.23% was obtained at an optimum CNT concentration of ∼0.06 wt.%. The obtained efficiency corresponds to a 63% enhancement when compared with that obtained from a DSSC based on a commercial TiO{sub 2} slurry. The higher efficiency was attributed to the improvement in the collection and transport of excited electrons in the presence of the CNTs.

Authors:
; ; ; ; ;  [1];  [2]
  1. School of Opto-electronic Information, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054 (China)
  2. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-747 (Korea, Republic of)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22454451
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
AIP Advances
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 5; Journal Issue: 2; Other Information: (c) 2015 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 2158-3226
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; CARBON NANOTUBES; CHEMICAL STATE; COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS; EFFICIENCY; ENERGY CONVERSION; FOURIER TRANSFORM SPECTROMETERS; NANOPARTICLES; SLURRIES; SOLAR CELLS; TITANIUM OXIDES; X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY

Citation Formats

Cai, Jiaoping, Chen, Zexiang, Li, Jun, Wang, Yan, Zhang, Jijun, Li, Hai, and Xiang, Dong. Enhanced conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells using a CNT-incorporated TiO{sub 2} slurry-based photoanode. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4908179.
Cai, Jiaoping, Chen, Zexiang, Li, Jun, Wang, Yan, Zhang, Jijun, Li, Hai, & Xiang, Dong. Enhanced conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells using a CNT-incorporated TiO{sub 2} slurry-based photoanode. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4908179
Cai, Jiaoping, Chen, Zexiang, Li, Jun, Wang, Yan, Zhang, Jijun, Li, Hai, and Xiang, Dong. 2015. "Enhanced conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells using a CNT-incorporated TiO{sub 2} slurry-based photoanode". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4908179.
@article{osti_22454451,
title = {Enhanced conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells using a CNT-incorporated TiO{sub 2} slurry-based photoanode},
author = {Cai, Jiaoping and Chen, Zexiang and Li, Jun and Wang, Yan and Zhang, Jijun and Li, Hai and Xiang, Dong},
abstractNote = {A new titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) slurry formulation is herein reported for the fabrication of TiO{sub 2} photoanode for use in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The prepared TiO{sub 2} photoanode featured a highly uniform mesoporous structure with well-dispersed TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles. The energy conversion efficiency of the resulting TiO{sub 2} slurry-based DSSC was ∼63% higher than that achieved by a DSSC prepared using a commercial TiO{sub 2} slurry. Subsequently, the incorporation of acid-treated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into the TiO{sub 2} slurry was examined. More specifically, the effect of varying the concentration of the CNTs in this slurry on the performance of the resulting DSSCs was studied. The chemical state of the CNTs-incorporated TiO{sub 2} photoanode was investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. A high energy conversion efficiency of 6.23% was obtained at an optimum CNT concentration of ∼0.06 wt.%. The obtained efficiency corresponds to a 63% enhancement when compared with that obtained from a DSSC based on a commercial TiO{sub 2} slurry. The higher efficiency was attributed to the improvement in the collection and transport of excited electrons in the presence of the CNTs.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4908179},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22454451}, journal = {AIP Advances},
issn = {2158-3226},
number = 2,
volume = 5,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Feb 15 00:00:00 EST 2015},
month = {Sun Feb 15 00:00:00 EST 2015}
}