Effects of TiCl4 post-treatment on the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells

Narayan Chandra Deb Nath, Alagesan Subramanian, Rui Yuan Hu, Beong Ou Lim, Jae Joon Lee

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

The effects of compact TiO2 overlayers, deposited on TiO2 photoelectrodes through the hydrolysis of TiCl4, on the overall performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were investigated. A thermal treatment at high-enough temperature was required for a more effective and higher dye-loading of the compact TiO2 overlayers. This led to improvements in the crystallinity and porosity of the layer, which contributed to higher power conversion efficiencies (PCE) of DSSCs compared with the electrodes prepared at relatively lower temperatures. Moreover, the existence of an additional secondary overlayer led to an increase in the net PCE of the cells by increasing the amount of dye-loading, even though this layer itself, in the absence of a first overlayer formed under high thermal treatment, did not enhance cell efficiency, because of the higher charge transport resistance over the layers and an increase in surface states.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)8870-8875
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
Volume15
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Nov 2015

Keywords

  • Dye-loading
  • Dye-sensitized solar cells
  • Surface states
  • TiCl post-treatment
  • TiO Photoelectrodes

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