Enhanced efficiency in dye-sensitised solar cells using a Tio2-based sandwiched film as photoanode

Author

Cuiping Kang ; Zhenxing Zhang ; Yongzhe Zhang ; Yongmin He ; Yizhu Xie ; Erqing Xie

Author_Institution

Sch. of Phys. Sci. & Technol., Lanzhou Univ., Lanzhou, China

Volume

6

Issue

8

fYear

2011

fDate

8/1/2011 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

579

Lastpage

581

Abstract

A multi-layered film with a TiO₂-based nanotubes/nanoparticles/nanotubes sandwich structure has been developed to increase light-harvesting efficiency by enhancing light scattering. Compared to a double-layered film of nanotubes/nanoparticles, the sandwiched film exhibited greatly improved light-absorption properties. An obviously improved total energy-conversion efficiency of 6.11% was obtained in the sandwiched film, which is 27.3, 46.1 and 213% higher than those of the double-layered film, nanoparticle film and nanotube film, respectively. A possible mechanism for the enhancement of light harvesting in the sandwiched film is proposed, whereby the observed enhancement is owing to effective scattering by the bottom layer and reflection of escaped light by the top layer.

Keywords

multilayers; nanofabrication; nanoparticles; nanotubes; reflection; sandwich structures; solar cells; titanium compounds; wide band gap semiconductors; TiO₂-based nanotubes-nanoparticles-nanotubes sandwich structure; dye-sensitised solar cells; effective scattering; enhanced efficiency; light harvesting enhancement; light reflection; light scattering enhancement; light-absorption properties; light-harvesting efficiency; multilayered film; nanoparticle film; nanotube film; nanotubes-nanoparticles double-layered film; photoanode; total energy conversion efficiency;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Micro & Nano Letters, IET

Publisher

iet

ISSN

1750-0443

Type

jour

DOI

10.1049/mnl.2011.0225

Filename

6012990