Abstract
TiO2 nanowire (NW)/nanoparticle (NP) composite films have been fabricatedby hybridizing various ratios of hydrothermal anatase NWs andTiO2 NPs for use in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)images reveal that uniform NW/NP composite films were formed on fluorine-dopedtin oxide (FTO) substrates by the dip-coating method. The NWs are randomlybut neither vertically nor horizontally oriented within the composite film. TheTiO2 NP DSSC possesses superior performance to those of the NW/NP composite and the pureNW cells, and the efficiency of the NW/NP composite DSSC increases on increasing theNP/NW ratio in the composite anode. All types of DSSC possess the same dependence of performance onthe anode thickness that the efficiency increases with the anode thickness to a maximum value,then it decreases when the anode is thickened further. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopyanalyses reveal that the NP DSSCs possess larger effective electron diffusion coefficients(Deff) in the photoanodes and smaller diffusion resistances ofI3− in electrolytes compared to those in the NW/NP and the NW DSSCs.Deff decreases when NWs are added into the photoanode. These results suggest that the verticalfeature of the NWs within the anodes is crucial for achieving a high electron transport ratein the anode.
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