Effect of surface modification of TiO2 on the photovoltaic performance of the quasi solid state dye sensitized solar cells using a benzothiadiazole-based dye

✍ Scribed by G.D. Sharma; P. Suresh; M.S. Roy; John A. Mikroyannidis

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2010
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 694 KB
• Volume: 195
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0378-7753
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2009.10.106

✦ Synopsis

We report the preparation of nanoporous TiO 2 electrode modified with an insulating material-BaCO 3 and used as electrode for quasi solid state dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), with a benzothiadiazolebased dye (BTDR2) as sensitizer and PEDOT:PSS coated FTO as counter electrode. We found that the BaCO 3 modification significantly increases the dye adsorption, resulting from the fact that the surface of BaCO 3 is more basic than TiO 2 . The performance of the DSSCs with and without BaCO 3 modified TiO 2 electrodes were analyzed by cyclic voltammograms, optical absorption spectra, current-voltage characteristics in dark and under illumination and electrochemical impedance spectra. The photovoltaic performance has been significantly improved for the BaCO 3 modified electrode as compared to bare TiO 2 electrode having the same other components in the DSSCs. The value of the overall power conversion efficiency (Á) improves from 2.42% to 4.38% under illumination intensity, when BaCO 3 modified electrode is used instead of bare TiO 2 electrode. The improvement in Á has been attributed to the increased dye adsorption, reduction in recombination rate and enhancement in the electron lifetime when the modified TiO 2 electrode is used.