Enhancing the Efficiency of Dye Sensitized Solar Cells by Using Anatase and Brookite Mixed Phases of TiO2

Abstract

The phases of TiO2 have an important role in the efficiency of dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). In this research, the effects of anatase and mixed phases (brookite and anatase) of TiO2 on the efficiency of DSSCs have been reported. 2% Cu doped TiO2 (Cu:TiO2) thin films are prepared by sol–gel dip coating technique. These films are annealed at the temperatures of "350 °C, 450 °C, 550 °C and 650 °C." XRD showed that at 550 °C and 650 °C, films have mixed phases of TiO2. Also, it showed that grain size is increased by increasing temperature. No extra phases of Cu like CuO etc. were observed in XRD graphs, which confirmed that Cu is completely dissolved into TiO2. UV-Vis results showed that all the films have more than 80% transmittance in the visible region. The optical band gap energy (Eg) of films at "350 °C, 450 °C, 550 °C and 650 °C" is 3.96, 3.81, 3.75 and 3.64 eV, respectively. The electrical resistivity of these thin films by four point probe technique is calculated as 121.8 × 102 Ω-m, 95.69 × 102 Ω-m, 86.65 × 102 Ω-m and 76.3 × 102Ω-m respectively. Solar simulator results showed that the current density (Jsc) of mixed phase is higher than single phase, causing higher efficiency. The maximum Jsc 5.12 mAcm–2 is achieved at 650 °C (mixed phase), resulting in higher efficiency of 2.35% which is more than 100 times the efficiency of anatase phase which has 1.18%. This work will provide a way to enhance the efficiency of DSSCs by using mixed phases of TiO2. In future, if 1-D structure of these mixed phases is used in DSSCs then efficiency of DSSCs will improve definitely (or positively).