A novel TiO2 nanoparticles/nanowires composite core with ZrO2 nanoparticles shell coating photoanode for high-performance dye-sensitized solar cell based on different electrolytes

Abstract

The novel TiO2 nanopartilces/nanowires (TNPWs) composite with ZrO2 nanoparticles (ZNPs) shell-coated photoanodes were prepared to fabricate high-performance dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) based on different types of electrolytes. Hafnium oxide (HfO2) is a new and efficient blocking layer material applied over the TNPWs-ZNPs core-shell photoanode film. TiO2 nanoparticles (TNPs) and TiO2 nanowires (TNWs) were characterized by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). DSSCs were fabricated using the novel photoanodes with an organic sensitizer D149 dye and different types of electrolytes namely liquid electrolyte, ionic liquid electrolyte, solid-state electrolyte, and quasi-solid-state electrolyte. The DSSC-4 made through the novel core-shell photoanode using quasi-solid-state electrolyte showed better photocurrent efficiency (PCE) as compared to the other DSSCs. It has such photocurrent-voltage characteristics: short circuit photocurrent (Jsc) = 19 mA/cm2, the open circuit voltage (Voc) = 650 mV, fill factor (FF) = 65 %, and PCE (η) = 8.03 %. The improved performance of DSSC-4 is ascribed to the core-shell with blocking layer photoanode could increased electron transport and suppressed recombination of charge carriers at the TNPWs-ZNPs/dye/electrolyte interface.