Patcharee Charoensirithavorn

Improvement of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Through TiCl4-Treated TiO2 Nanotube Arrays

Titania nanotube arrays have been fabricated on a fluoride-doped tin oxide substrate by liquid phase deposition using ZnO nanorod arrays as a template and have been applied as the electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). The performance of DSCs based on Ti0 2 nanotube electrodes can be improved by treating the TiO 2 nanotube arrays with titanium tetrachloride (TiCl 4 ). Both the short-circuit current density and the conversion efficiency increased almost 2 times after the TiCl 4 treatment. The TiCl 4 treatment not only increased the amount of absorbed dyes but also enhanced the electron transport in the TiO 2 films. TiCl 4 -treated TiO 2 nanotube arrays with 4 μm thickness showed a short-circuit current density of 8.37 mA/cm 2 , an open-circuit voltage of 0.80 V, a fill factor of 0.67, and an overall conversion efficiency (η) of 4.53%.

Effect of Heat-Treatment on Electron Transport Process in TiO2 Nanotube Arrays Prepared Through Liquid Phase Deposition for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Nanotube arrays of TiO 2 were synthesized by using a template of ZnO nanorod arrays on fluorine-doped SnO 2 transparent conducting oxide glass substrate by liquid phase deposition method. Dye N719-sensitized photoelectrochemical cells comprising TiO 2 nanotube arrays were fabricated and characterized. With an increase in the calcination temperature, the anatase content of the crystallized film increased and the conduction band of TiO 2 shifted toward a negative potential, resulting in an increase in the cell performance in terms of the short-circuit photocurrent density and open-circuit voltage.

One-Dimensional Nanostructure Arrays for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

This article reports the fabrication of ordered arrays of ZnO nanorods and TiO 2 nanotubules by using a simple solution-based method and the application of these arrays as the working electrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) with an aim of offering superior electron transport conduits than in the conventional nanocrystalline nanoparticle films. The faster charge transport and lower recombination properties of one-dimensional (ID) nanostructure array electrodes as compared with those of the nanoparticle one observed and proved that such arrays of 1D nanostructure are the more promising electrode for DSCs in the future.