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Effective MgO‐doped TiO 2 nanoaerogel coating for crystalline silicon solar cells improvement
Author(s) -
Meng Fanchao,
Dehouche Zahir,
Nutasarin Aorrapum,
Fern George R.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
international journal of energy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.808
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1099-114X
pISSN - 0363-907X
DOI - 10.1002/er.4128
Subject(s) - materials science , diffractometer , anatase , field emission microscopy , monocrystalline silicon , silicon , scanning electron microscope , field electron emission , doping , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , optoelectronics , optics , composite material , photocatalysis , catalysis , chemistry , electron , organic chemistry , physics , quantum mechanics , diffraction , engineering
Summary This study looks at investigating the influence of high surface area TiO 2 and MgO‐doped TiO 2 aerogel nanomaterials to improve the photovoltaic performance of monocrystalline silicon (mono‐Si) solar cells. TiO 2 and MgO‐doped TiO 2 anatase nanoaerogels were synthesized via a single‐step colloidal homogeneous precipitation sol‐gel method in a compact high‐pressure hydrogen reactor. TiO 2 ‐based nanoparticles were encapsulated in ethylene vinyl acetate resins, and the obtained composite solutions were screen printed on the textured surface of the cells. The specific surface area, microstructural, composition, and optical properties of the nanoaerogels were characterized by Brunaur‐Emmett‐Teller, X‐ray powder diffractometer, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, field emission transmission electron microscope, field emission scanning electron microscope, and ultraviolet‐visible spectrophotometry. We observed that the MgO‐doped TiO 2 (2% mol) nanoaerogel exhibited a much superior specific surface area (231 m 2 /g) compared with the undoped TiO 2 (154 m 2 /g). Experimental results showed that the calculated relative power conversion efficiency increased by 4.6% for the MgO‐doped TiO 2 coating and 3.4% for the undoped TiO 2 under a simulated one‐sun illumination.