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Hierarchical Double‐Shell Nanostructures of TiO 2 Nanosheets on SnO 2 Hollow Spheres for High‐Efficiency, Solid‐State, Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells
Author(s) -
Ahn Sung Hoon,
Kim Dong Jun,
Chi Won Seok,
Kim Jong Hak
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.201400774
Subject(s) - materials science , dye sensitized solar cell , nanostructure , mesoporous material , chemical engineering , energy conversion efficiency , photocurrent , spectroscopy , quasi solid , nanotechnology , electrolyte , optoelectronics , electrode , organic chemistry , chemistry , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering , catalysis
A high‐energy conversion efficiency of 8.2% at 100 mW cm −2 is reported, one of the highest values for N719‐based, solid‐state, dye‐sensitized solar cells (ssDSSCs). The solar cells are based on hierarchical double‐shell nanostructures consisting of inner SnO 2 hollow spheres (SHS) surrounded by outer TiO 2 nanosheets (TNSs). Deposition of the TNS on the SHS outer surface is performed via solvothermal reactions in order to generate a double‐shell SHS@TNS nanostructure that provides a large surface area and suppresses recombination of photogenerated electrons. An organized mesoporous (OM)‐TiO 2 film with high porosity, large pores, and good interconnectivity is also prepared via a sol‐gel process using a poly(vinyl chloride)‐g‐poly(oxyethylene methacrylate) (PVC‐g‐POEM) graft copolymer template. This film is utilized as a matrix to disperse the double‐shell nanostructures. Such nanostructures provide good pore‐filling for solid polymer electrolytes, faster electron transfer, and enhanced light scattering, as confirmed by reflectance spectroscopy, incident photon‐to‐electron conversion efficiency (IPCE), and intensity‐modulated photocurrent spectroscopy (IMPS)/intensity‐modulated photovoltage spectroscopy (IMVS).