PREPARATION OF ELECTROSPUN METAL OXIDE

NANOFIBERS FOR DYE-SENSITIZED SOLAR CELLS

K. Hongsupangpan, W. Hong-ek and N. Pootrakulchote*
Department of Chemical Technology, Faculty of Science Chulalongkorn University
Bangkok 10330 THAILAND

Introduction & Objectives Results & Discussions

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have been 1. TiO2 nanofiber morphology
considered a promising alternative to conventional
single-crystalline silicon solar cells because of their low
cost and simple manufacturing processes. DSSCs based
on TiO2-nanoparticle electrode became attractive owing
to their excellent photoelectrochemical properties.
However, the photo-generated current is limited by
grain boundaries among TiO2 nanoparticles. To
overcome this problem one dimensional (1D)
nanostructure (i.e. nanofibers, NFs) is introduced to the Fig 1. SEM images of TiO2 NFs Fig 2. XRD patterns for TiO2 NFs.
before (inset) and after (large) Blue vertical lines show standard
TiO2-nanoparticle layer in order to increase porosity,
calcination at 500oC. anatase TiO2 patterns
connectivity and scattering effect.
2. IV characteristics
The objective in this research is to enhance the 4
electron transfer in TiO2 layer by adding TiO2 NFs and 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% NFs Voc Jsc FF / %
to optimize the NF content. 3
Jsc [mA/cm2] 0% 0.760 2.8 0.69 1.46
2
5% 0.765 3.2 0.64 1.55
Experimental 1
10% 0.750 3.1 0.61 1.43
1. Preparation of TiO2 NFs 0
15% 0.720 2.7 0.54 1.04
Materials:
poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), titanium -1 20% 0.725 1.7 0.60 0.73
isopropoxide, ethanol and acetic 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8
acid Voc [V]
Fig 3. JV-curves of DSSCs with various NF contents in TiO2
Electrospinning conditions: layer under standard AM 1.5G solar irradiation 1000 W m-2
Rate 0.34 mL/h (marker lines) and in the dark (dashed lines). (Transparent
Injection distance 10 cm TiO2 layer ~8 m thick, Z907 dye, non-volatile-based liquid
Calcination at 500oC for 2 hrs electrolyte, illumination area 0.25 cm2). The table shows the
corresponding values.
2. Preparation of photoanode 3. EIS Analysis
-400
Semiconductor paste:
TiO2 nanoparticle (P25), TiO2 -300
Z" [Ohm]

NF, ethylene cellulose and

ethanol. Screen-printed on FTO -200
glass (~8 m thick), calcine at
500oC for 50 min. -100

3. Assembly of DSSCs 0
0 400 800 1200
Z' [Ohm]
Fig 4. Nyquist plots of DSSCs with 0% (blue) and 5% (red) NF
contents in TiO2 layer. Measured in the dark at 750 mV and
frequency scan range of 0.1 to 106 Hz.
Dye: Electrolyte:
Ruthenium-
based (Z907)
Non-volatile based Conclusions
liquid electrolyte
TiO2 NFs were synthesized using electrospinning
technique. XRD results showed that TiO2 NFs appear
in anatase phase. The IV results showed that DSSCs
Acknowledgements with 5% TiO2 NFcontent improves photocurrent by
12.9%, yielding a photo conversion efficiency of 1.6%.
1.Department of Chemical Technology, Faculty of
EIS analysis showed that charge transfer resistance
Science, Chulalongkorn University. in TiO2 layer with 5% NFcontent decreases by 12%
2.Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, compared to 0% NFcontent, attributing to the
Chulalongkorn University. enhancement of photo-generated electron transfer.