Abstract
The dye regeneration in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) is improved by optimizing the charge separation at the level of the sensitized semiconductor treatment of the mesoporous electrode by TiCl4 that passivates the surface for back electron transfer reactions. The dye-regeneration kinetics is analyzed for DN216- and D358-sensitized porous TiO2 electrodes with and without a TiCl4 treatment by means of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). Different mass transport limitation of the [Co(bpy)3]3+ mediator through the porous electrode is found for the comparison of the structurally similar dyes but cannot be detected for the thin layer introduced by the TiCl4 treatment. Phototransient measurements are conducted directly in the SECM cell without any intermediated sample manipulation. The results from those measurements corroborate the findings from steady state SECM measurements.
Highlights
The dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were originally developed by O’Regan and Grätzel in 1991 [1]
Two specimens for each thickness were sensitized by D358 or DN216 without post-TiCl4 treatment and two specimens were subjected to a post-TiCl4 treatment and later sensitized by D358 or DN216
This work reports a scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) investigation of the dye regeneration kinetic optimized by passivating the TTihOi2s wphoorktoraenpoodrtessabSyECthMe pinovset-sTtiigCal4tiotrneaotfmtheendt yaes rceogmenmeroantliyonukseindetiinc odpytei-mseinzesditibzyedpassosliavractienllgs. tThheeTpiOas22spivhaottioonanlaoydeersibsyknthoewpnotsot-iTmiCprl4o4 tvreeathtme cehnatragsecsoempamraotniolyn ubyserdedinucdiyneg-tsheensdietinzseidtysooflanrecaer-llssu.rTfahcee ptraaspsivstaattieosn, lfaroymer wis hkincohwbnactko eimlecptrroovnetrthanescfhearrpgreosceepssaersatmioanybcyomredmuecnincegttohethdeeonxsiidtyizoefdnmeaerd-siuatrofarcoer ttrhaeppshtaotteos,ofxriodmizewdhdicyhe.bTahckereelfeocrter,otnhitsraSnEsCfeMr pinrvoecsetsisgeastimonayofctohme mdyeen-creegteontehreatoioxnidriezaecdtimonedraiatetoardodrs the photo-oxidized dye
Summary
The dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were originally developed by O’Regan and Grätzel in 1991 [1]. TTihOe2 fpilamrtairceleclseiazneedofdTuirOin2g itnhcerperaosceedssfrom 13 nm for the primary TiO2 nanoparticles to ca. Impurities at the surface of the initial mesoporous TiO2 film are cleaned during the process and a pure TiO2 surface is obtained [15]. The surface area of the mesoporous TiO2 film (as measured by gas adsorption). A shift of the CB to a lower potential wa3s observed and it leads to an enhanced electron injection from the excited dye [17,20]. Adlytheoaungdh tThieOs2ufrrfaocme ainrefaraorfetdheambseosropptoiroonusspTeiOct2rfoilsmco(pays [21]. Such ma estarseunrgedthbeyngbaosnaddisnogrpatniodna) dbeectrteearsseudrbfaycethcisovtreeraatgmeenotf,tthhee TdiyOe2lopaadritnicgleins cbryeadseysesminoceletchueleasreianhibit tohpeenE-aCeTcxcBiccoreicfttsoeusediiCabtdBllpeoyohwetoxo[ei1ttdrho7ipe,vz2oode0t]dlye.tenaAmtgmitaeeollad[lwse2itca2,aut]asol.easrDstlrsianouonnedtoghbtetoeshreetebrhlvoceolenecdsdaternawonpnlaeodyssstsioeittobislfsveoetaehlrduveesetffpidtoeaonbrctate.isnctTw,leetheshneiahesnraeepnthffoicmeeesdctap-tdrTeoislisoevCcremlbtd4reeod[tan1rse8diu,any1trje9eme]cad.tenAiondansstThiafiisrOfnotc2moeoffnrmotthhhmmaeenocneldy appliiendfrfaorerdthaebsfoarbprtiicoantisopnecotfrodsycoep-sye[n2s1i]t.izSeudchsoalsatrrecneglltshe[2n2b,2o3n]dainngdaintsdeaffbeectttehrassubrfeaecne scouvmermagaeriozfed as passivthaetiToinOa2 pgaaritnicsltelsobsysedsyoefmeoClBe.cules inhibit the ET of eCB oxidized mediator in the electrolyte solution
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