High performance SnO2 pure photoelectrode in dye-sensitized solar cells achieved via electrophoretic technique

Abstract

This work shows a simple method utilizing electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of commercial SnO2 nanoparticles films on fluoride-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate. In this process at constant voltage, depositions cycles are well controlled to achieve SnO2 films with different grain and pore sizes. The experimental results indicate that the method utilizing electrophoretic deposition to SnO2 films plays an important role with photoelectrode in DSSCs compared others methods of deposition because do not presence surfactantes and other contaminants waste. In addition, it was found that reduced film porosity can concentrate dye molecules and be responsible for reducing the electron supply. Effects of the bulk traps and surface states within the SnO2 films on the recombination of the photo-injected electrons strongly depend on the SnO2 film compression. The best device (with a average grain size of 156.0 nm and with an average pore size of 468.0 nm) gives a conversion efficiency of 3.89%, having a short circuit current density exclusive of 14.27 mA/cm2 to incident light of 100 mW/cm2.