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Controlled Interfacial Electron Dynamics in Highly Efficient Zn 2 SnO 4 ‐Based Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells
Author(s) -
Shin Seong Sik,
Kim Dong Wook,
Hwang Daesub,
Suk Jae Ho,
Oh Lee Seul,
Han Byung Suh,
Kim Dong Hoe,
Kim Ju Seong,
Kim Dongho,
Kim Jin Young,
Hong Kug Sun
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
chemsuschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.412
H-Index - 157
eISSN - 1864-564X
pISSN - 1864-5631
DOI - 10.1002/cssc.201300915
Subject(s) - dye sensitized solar cell , materials science , tin oxide , photocurrent , energy conversion efficiency , short circuit , electrolyte , atomic layer deposition , nanotechnology , chemical engineering , open circuit voltage , nanoparticle , quasi solid , anode , chemical bath deposition , electron mobility , optoelectronics , transmittance , band gap , layer (electronics) , doping , electrode , voltage , chemistry , quantum mechanics , engineering , physics
Among ternary oxides, Zn 2 SnO 4 (ZSO) is considered for dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) because of its wide bandgap, high optical transmittance, and high electrical conductivity. However, ZSO‐based DSSCs have a poor performance record owing largely to the absence of systematic efforts to enhance their performance. Herein, general strategies are proposed to improve the performance of ZSO‐based DSSCs involving interfacial engineering/modification of the photoanode. A conformal ZSO thin film (blocking layer) deposited at the fluorine‐doped tin oxide–electrolyte interface by pulsed laser deposition suppressed the back‐electron transfer effectively while maintaining a high optical transmittance, which resulted in a 22 % improvement in the short‐circuit photocurrent density. Surface modification of ZSO nanoparticles (NPs) resulted in an ultrathin ZnO shell layer, a 9 % improvement in the open‐circuit voltage, and a 4 % improvement in the fill factor because of the reduced electron recombination at the ZSO NPs–electrolyte interface. The ZSO‐based DSSCs exhibited a faster charge injection and electron transport than their TiO 2 ‐based counterparts, and their superior properties were not inhibited by the ZnO shell layer, which indicates their feasibility for highly efficient DSSCs. Each interfacial engineering strategy could be applied to the ZSO‐based DSSC independently to lead to an improved conversion efficiency of 6 %, a very high conversion efficiency for a non‐TiO 2 based DSSC.