TY - JOUR
T1 - Influence of photoanode architecture on light scattering mechanism and device performance of dye-sensitized solar cells using TiO2 hollow cubes and nanoparticles
AU - Sarvari, N.
AU - Mohammadi, M. R.
PY - 2018/5
Y1 - 2018/5
N2 - Herein, we report the impact of light scattering mechanism on photovoltaic and photoelectrochemical performance of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) devices composed of TiO2 nanoparticles and hollow cubes. DSCs are designed by two different light scattering modes (i.e., mode I in form of single layer electrode containing nanoparticles and hollow cubes and mode II in the form of double layer electrode comprising active and scattering layers made of nanoparticles and mixtures of nanoparticles and hollow cubes, respectively). The synthesized anatase-TiO2 hollow cubes (200–400 nm) and nanoparticles (15–30 nm) are employed to enhance the optical length and light harvesting of photoanodes, respectively. Although the charge transfer resistances at Pt/electrolyte (RPt) and TiO2/dye/electrolyte (Rct) interfaces are decreased by mode I, it is not an appropriate approach for efficiency improvement of the devices due to hindering electrolyte diffusion and decreasing fill factor. In contrast, the photovoltaic performances of DSCs designed by mode II are successfully enhanced due to remarkable decrease in RPt and Rct. Not only mode II improves light scattering but also it makes a balance between electron transfer and dye sensitization, leading to an increase in cell efficiency up to 9.31% compared to 7.0% for the reference device composed of pure nanoparticles.
AB - Herein, we report the impact of light scattering mechanism on photovoltaic and photoelectrochemical performance of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) devices composed of TiO2 nanoparticles and hollow cubes. DSCs are designed by two different light scattering modes (i.e., mode I in form of single layer electrode containing nanoparticles and hollow cubes and mode II in the form of double layer electrode comprising active and scattering layers made of nanoparticles and mixtures of nanoparticles and hollow cubes, respectively). The synthesized anatase-TiO2 hollow cubes (200–400 nm) and nanoparticles (15–30 nm) are employed to enhance the optical length and light harvesting of photoanodes, respectively. Although the charge transfer resistances at Pt/electrolyte (RPt) and TiO2/dye/electrolyte (Rct) interfaces are decreased by mode I, it is not an appropriate approach for efficiency improvement of the devices due to hindering electrolyte diffusion and decreasing fill factor. In contrast, the photovoltaic performances of DSCs designed by mode II are successfully enhanced due to remarkable decrease in RPt and Rct. Not only mode II improves light scattering but also it makes a balance between electron transfer and dye sensitization, leading to an increase in cell efficiency up to 9.31% compared to 7.0% for the reference device composed of pure nanoparticles.
KW - Dye-sensitized solar cell
KW - Light scattering mechanism
KW - TiO hollow cubes
KW - TiO nanoparticles
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85042638367&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jtice.2018.02.014
DO - 10.1016/j.jtice.2018.02.014
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85042638367
VL - 86
SP - 81
EP - 91
JO - Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers
JF - Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers
SN - 1876-1070
ER -