Abstract
This work determines the effect of compact TiO2layers that are deposited onto fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO), to improve the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). A series of compact TiO2layers are prepared using radio frequency (rf) reactive magnetron sputtering. The films are characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The results show that when the Ar/O2/N2flow rates are 36 : 18 : 9, the photo-induced decomposition of methylene blue and photo-induced hydrophilicity are enhanced. After annealing at 450°C in an atmosphere ambient for 30 min, the compact TiO2layers exhibit higher optical transmittance. The XRD patterns for the TiO2films for FTO/glass show a good crystalline structure and anatase (101) diffraction peaks, which demonstrate a higher crystallinity than the ITO/glass films. As a result of this increase in the short circuit photocurrent density, the open-circuit photovoltage, and the fill factor, the DSSC with the FTO/glass and Pt counter electrode demonstrates a solar conversion efficiency of 7.65%.
Highlights
Photocatalytic TiO2 materials are widely used in antipollution applications, deodorization, dust-proofing, and for highperformance dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) because of their unique physical, chemical, and optical properties, their lack of toxicity, and low cost [1]
A typical DSSC consists of dye molecules that act as sensitizers, a porous TiO2 layer, a fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate, an electrolyte charge carrier, and a platinized FTO substrate as a so-called counter electrode or cathode
The results show that the photoinduced hydrophilicity of TiO2−xNx film is better than that of TiO2 film
Summary
Photocatalytic TiO2 materials are widely used in antipollution applications, deodorization, dust-proofing, and for highperformance dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) because of their unique physical, chemical, and optical properties, their lack of toxicity, and low cost [1]. A potential means of preventing recombination is the application of a compact metal-oxide film between the nano-sized porous TiO2 layer and the FTO substrate. Of these metal oxides, TiO2 is the most effective electrolyte blocker and has been extensively studied [13, 14]. TiO2 is the most effective electrolyte blocker and has been extensively studied [13, 14] This compact layer improves the adhesion of the porous TiO2 to the FTO substrate and provides a larger TiO2/FTO contact area and more effective electron transfer from the porous TiO2 to the FTO by preventing the electron recombination process [15]. The Pt and carbon counter electrode are coated onto FTO/glass substrates
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