Abstract
In this study, nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles were added to a titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticle paste to fabricate a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) working electrode by using a screen-printing method. The effects of the NiO proportion in the TiO2 paste on the TiO2 working electrode, DSSC devices, and electron transport characteristics were comprehensively investigated. The results showed that adding NiO nanoparticles to the TiO2 working electrode both inhibited electron transport (a negative effect) and prevented electron recombination with the electrolyte (a positive effect). The electron transit time was extended following an increase in the amount of NiO nanoparticles added, confirming that NiO inhibited electron transport. Furthermore, the energy level difference between TiO2 and NiO generated a potential barrier that prevented the recombination of the electrons in the TiO2 conduction band with the I3- ions in the electrolyte. When the TiO2–NiO ratio was 99:1, the positive effects outweighed the negative effects. Therefore, this ratio was the optimal TiO2–NiO ratio in the electrode for electron transport. The DSSCs with a TiO2–NiO (99:1) working electrode exhibited an optimal power conversion efficiency of 8.39%, which was higher than the DSSCs with a TiO2 working electrode.
Highlights
The advancement of science and technology has increased the demand for energy over the years, resulting in a continuous reduction in oil reserves
Working electrode exhibited an optimal power conversion efficiency of 8.39%, which was higher than the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) with a TiO2 working electrode
DSSCs contained planar TiO2 working electrodes, which exhibit an efficiency of less than 1% because they rely on dye molecules adsorbed on the electrode surface for effective photocurrent generation [18]
Summary
The advancement of science and technology has increased the demand for energy over the years, resulting in a continuous reduction in oil reserves. Research related to solar cells immediately caught the public’s attention because DSSCs have many advantages such as high efficiency, low cost, and simple fabrication [2,3,4,5,6]. The TiO2 working electrode, which is used for transporting photoelectrons and exhibits a large surface area for dye adsorption and holes for injecting electrolytes, is a key component of a DSSC [11,12,13]. DSSCs contained planar TiO2 working electrodes, which exhibit an efficiency of less than 1% because they rely on dye molecules adsorbed on the electrode surface for effective photocurrent generation [18]. Grätzel proposed porous electrodes comprising TiO2 nanoparticles; each micrometer of thickness increases the surface area 100-fold, and the photocurrent generation efficiency can exceed 7% when dye molecules
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