Issue 110, 2014

Bilayered photoanode from rutile TiO2 nanorods and hierarchical anatase TiO2 hollow spheres: a candidate for enhanced efficiency dye sensitized solar cells

Abstract

A bilayered photoanode for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) was constructed with the top layer using TiO2 hierarchical hollow spheres (THS) and the second layer based on 3D TiO2 nanorods. The anatase THS with diameters of 400–600 nm and with a specific surface area of 100.3 m2 g−1 were synthesized via a simple hydrothermal method. As a light scattering layer, the THS could provide dual-functions of adsorbing dye molecules and strong light-harvesting efficiency. The 3D TiO2 nanorods consisting of 1D vertically aligned rutile TiO2 nanorods (TNR) and 3D TiO2 nanoflowers (TNF) were synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal method. The unique 3D nanostructure could offer a better light scattering capability, faster electron transport and lower electron recombination. Consequentially, the bilayered cell exhibited a much higher short-circuit photocurrent density of 15.60 mA cm−2 and energy conversion efficiency of 7.50%, which indicated a 108.6% and a 36.8% increment of cell efficiency compared to the TNR-F electrode (7.36 mA cm−2, 3.60%) and THS electrode (13.20 mA cm−2, 5.48%), respectively.

Graphical abstract: Bilayered photoanode from rutile TiO2 nanorods and hierarchical anatase TiO2 hollow spheres: a candidate for enhanced efficiency dye sensitized solar cells

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
07 Oct 2014
Accepted
18 Nov 2014
First published
19 Nov 2014

RSC Adv., 2014,4, 64737-64743

Bilayered photoanode from rutile TiO2 nanorods and hierarchical anatase TiO2 hollow spheres: a candidate for enhanced efficiency dye sensitized solar cells

P. Zhao, P. Cheng, B. Wang, S. Yao, P. Sun, F. Liu, J. Zheng and G. Lu, RSC Adv., 2014, 4, 64737 DOI: 10.1039/C4RA11895B

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