Metal Oxide-Based Semiconductor as Photoanode for Photovoltaic Cells

Abstract

The contributing factors to the overall improvement in photovoltaic efficiency are visible light absorption, enhanced dye absorption, rapid electron transport and minimal carrier recombination. To improve the dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) capacity to harvest light focus is mostly placed on the synthesis of photoanode material. Photo anodes made of several metal oxide semiconductors, such as TiO2, ZnO, SnO2, Nb2O5, etc., have been used in DSSCs. The most suitable material for DSSC use is anatase TiO2 with a band gap of 3.2 eV that is chemically stable, non-toxic, and easily accessible. The synthesis of TiO2 nanoparticles and their morphological variation are described in detail in the paper. The nanoparticles exhibit a tetragonal crystalline structure with lattice parameters a= 3.74 Å and b= 9.39 Å. The effect of sintering temperature on phase transition and on electrical properties affecting particle size and surface area is investigated and optimized. Characterization techniques including X-ray Diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are employed to analyze the TiO2 nanoparticles. These techniques provide insights into the morphology and size of the coated TiO2 nanoparticles. The paper reports the effect of sintering temperature on the efficiency of the fabricated DSSCs. Additionally; it reviews recent advancements in TiO2-based nanomaterials, particularly through doping, to further enhance the efficiency of DSSCs. Overall, the study highlights the importance of optimizing the synthesis and properties of TiO2 nanoparticles for improved performance of DSSCs, and it discusses potential strategies for enhancing the efficiency of DSSCs through modifications in TiO2-based nanomaterials.