Flexible Dye-sensitized Solar Cell Using Titanium Gel at Low Temperature

Abstract

Flexible dye-sensitized solar cells using binder free TiO2 paste for low temperature sintering are developed. In this paste a small amount of titanium gel is added to a paste of TiO2 nanoparticle. Analysis of titanium gel paste prepared at 150 °C shows that it has a pure anatase phase in XRD and mesoporous structure in SEM. The formation of the titanium gel 1- 2 nm coated layer is confirmed by comparing the TEM image analysis of the titanium gel paste and the pristine paste. This coating layer improves the excited electron transfer and electrical contact between particles. The J-V curves of the organic binder DSSCs fabricated at 150 °C shows a current density of 0.12 mA/cm2 and an open-circuit voltage of 0.47 V, while the titanium gel DSSCs improves electrical characteristics to 5.04 mA/cm2 and 0.74 V. As a result, the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the organic binder DSSC prepared at low temperature is as low as 0.02 %, but the titanium gel paste DSSCs has a measured effciency of 2.76%.