Dye-sensitized solar cells with nanoporous TiO2 photoanodes sintered by N2 and air atmospheric pressure plasma jets with/without air-quenching

Abstract

We investigate dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) with TiO2 photoanodes sintered by N2 and air atmospheric pressure plasma jets (APPJs) with/without air-quenching. Air-quenching reduces the APPJ temperature from ∼500 °C to ∼300 °C; however, it accelerates the removal of organic solvents and the TiO2 sintering process. N2 APPJ with air-quenching and air APPJ with/without air-quenching can complete the sintering process in an ultra-short time (30 s); the assembled cells show efficiencies comparable to those of cells fabricated using conventional furnace process. The presence of excited nitrogen plasmas and oxygen gas is critical to the rapid sintering process of nanoporous TiO2 photoanodes at a lower temperature (∼300 °C). This air-quenched APPJ may be applied to the sintering process on lower-melting-point flexible substrate, which facilitates the future application to roll-to-roll process.