Fabrication of Dye-sensitized Solar Cell Using TiO2 Film Electrode Prepared by Micro-arc Oxidation Method

Abstract

Porous and crystalline Ti0 2 films were prepared on individual metallic Ti plates by the micro-arc oxidation (MAO) method. A novel dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) was fabricated ; a Ti0 2 film prepared on a metallic Ti plate was used as the cathode, and an indium tin oxide (ITO) glass plate was employed as the anode. This cell possessed characteristics of DSSC. The Ti0 2 films were prepared in NH 4 H 2 PO 4 , (NH 4 ) 2 HPO 4, and (NH 4 ) 3 PO 4 electrolyte solutions by MAO. Their crystal structures were characterized by an X-ray diffractometer (XRD) , surface morphologies were observed by a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and thicknesses were measured using an eddy-current-type film thickness meter. The results indicated that all films comprised a single-phase of anatase Ti0 2 , exhibited porous surfaces, and had thicknesses in the range of about 2 ∼ 5 μm. The effects of the electrolyte solutions on the Ti0 2 films prepared in them were evaluated. It was found that the TiO 2 film prepared in (NH 4 ) 2 HPO 4 exhibited the smallest pore size, namely, 0.5 μm and the smoothest surface morphology. The maximum starting power of a DSSC fabricated in this study was 394.7 mV.