Abstract
ZnO nanorods were formed by chemical bath deposition on fluorine–doped tin oxide (FTO) glass and the photovoltaic performance of ZnO-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) was investigated. A DSC with 8 h-grown ZnO nanorods showed a higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) than devices with 4, 6, and 10 h-grown ones. Further improvement in PCE was achieved in a cell with a silver-ion-deposited ZnO/FTO electrode. By deposition of Ag+ on the surface of the 8 h-grown ZnO nanorods, the dye-loading amount increased by approximately 210%, compared to that of pristine ZnO nanorods, resulting in a 1.8-times higher PCE. A DSC with the pristine ZnO/FTO electrode showed a PCE of 0.629%, while in a device with the silver-ion-deposited ZnO/FTO, the PCE increased to 1.138%. In addition, interfacial resistance at the ZnO/dye/electrolyte was reduced to approximately 170 Ω from 460 Ω for the control cell with the pristine ZnO/FTO. We attributed the higher dye-loading amount in the silver-ion-deposited ZnO/FTO to the electrostatic attraction between the positively charged ZnO and carboxylate anions (–COO−) of the N719 dyes.
Highlights
IntroductionDye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) are among third-generation photovoltaic cells and have several attractive features
Academic Editors: EmmanuelDye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) are among third-generation photovoltaic cells and have several attractive features
When the deposition time of silver ions was 20 min, the highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) value was recorded, and we focused on this device with the Ag+ (20)–zinc oxide (ZnO)/fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) to reveal the root of the improved efficiency
Summary
Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) are among third-generation photovoltaic cells and have several attractive features They can be semi-flexible and semi-transparent, and usually low cost; these properties enable their use in situations glass-based solar cells cannot be used [1,2]. They have low fabrication cost, fast assembling process, and low toxicity, and power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of DSCs are constantly improved [3]. A general DSC consists of a glass substrate coated with fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO), mesoporous TiO2 layer, light absorbing dye, Pt counter electrode, and an I− /I3 − electrolyte [5]. The highest PCE of 14.3% has been achieved in a TiO2 -based
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