PREPARATION OF TITANIUM DIOXIDE NANOPARTICLE LAYERS FOR DYE-SENSITIZED SOLAR CELLS

Authors

W. Johnson, Univeristy of West Georgia
J. Preston, University of West Georgia
L. Ajith DeSilva, University of West Georgia

Abstract

The dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have drawn a tremendous research interest due to their lower cost and easy fabrication compared to those of silicon solar cells. Most DSSCs reported use a photo electrode prepared with TiO₂ Degussa P25. We studied thin layers of anatase TiO₂ nanoparticles as the photo anode for DSSC. The thin layers were prepared on Fluorine doped Tin Oxide (FTO) glass plates by spin coating techniques using commercially available colloidal TiO₂ nanoparticles of average size 10 – 15 nm. A polymer based gel-electrolyte with iodine/triiodide system was used in DSSCs. A thin layer of electrolyte was sandwiched between the TiO₂ anode (sensitized with N719 dye) and the Pt counter electrode. The constructed DSSC revealed open circuit voltage, short circuit current values of 0.70 V, 4.0 mA respectively under 1 sun irradiation. The samples were characterized by UV–visible spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Further performance of DSSC prepared with nanoparticle layers were compared with that of DSSC prepared with TiO2 Degussa P25. Financial support from UWG SEEP and SRAP programs are acknowledged.

Recommended Citation

Johnson, W.; Preston, J.; and DeSilva, L. Ajith (2017) "PREPARATION OF TITANIUM DIOXIDE NANOPARTICLE LAYERS FOR DYE-SENSITIZED SOLAR CELLS," Georgia Journal of Science, Vol. 75, No. 1, Article 95.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.gaacademy.org/gjs/vol75/iss1/95