Electrospray Coating of a TiO_2 Electrode for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells by a Post-Treatment Method

摘要

A mesoporous TiO_2 photo-electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) was fabricated by an electrospray method using a solution of dispersed TiO_2 nanocrystals (P25). A mesoporous TiO_2 disk has a larger surface area than P25. The sub micrometer-sized TiO_2 disk promotes light scattering, thereby increasing the photocurrent conversion efficiency. However, the electrosprayed TiO_2 electrodes have many pores and disconnected electron pathways. Thus, we investigated the enhanced electrical contact of an electrosprayed TiO_2 electrode using a hot-pressing process and a titanium tetrachloride (TiCl_4) treatment process. After optimizing the post-treatment process of an electrosprayed TiO_2 electrode, the cell shows conversion efficiency up to 6% at standard sunlight of AM 1.5.