Highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cell performance from template derived high surface area mesoporous TiO2 nanospheres

Abstract

High surface area mesoporous anatase TiO₂ spheres are synthesized using ethylene glycol as a template by a solvothermal method. Electron microscopy studies revealed the formation of smooth surfaced mesoporous spheres with uniform size. A high surface area of 221.52 m² g⁻¹ is obtained for the titanium tetraisopropoxide concentration of 0.5 mL. X-Ray diffraction and Raman analyses revealed the formation of anatase phase TiO₂. Uniform deposition of a mesoporous film for a photoanode was achieved by an optimized spray deposition method. The effects of the ruthenium dye-sensitizer N719 and indoline dye-sensitizer D205 on the dye sensitized solar cell performance are investigated. Maximum efficiencies of 8.96 and 9.02% are achieved using the sensitizers N719 and D205, respectively; from the mesoporous anatase TiO₂ sphere coated DSSC. IPCE analyses revealed that the mesoporous spheres efficiently collected the incident photons and achieved a conversion efficiency over 80% by internal reflections and a scattering process.