The low-temperature fabrication of TiO2 electrodes for use in a dye-sensitized solar cell was studied. The use of the sol–gel necking method with a Ti–precursor solution added to a paste including TiO2 nano particles resulted in a high-performance TiO2 electrode. A solar cell using the electrode showed a high efficiency of almost 2%, even when sintered at 200 °C. The improvement in the efficiency was due to the increase in photocurrent of the cell. Increasing the specific surface area of the TiO2 electrode sintered at around 200 °C was corresponded to an increase in the number of micropores. However, it did not contribute to the increase in the amount of adsorbed dye nor did it improve photocurrent. Rather, the crystallization of the added Ti–precursor solution and subsequent increase in conductivity of the TiO2 electrode improved photocurrent. The phase transition temperature of the Ti–precursor solution from amorphous to anatase was detected at 331 °C by differential thermal analysis (DTA) measurement. To fabricate the TiO2 electrode for use in a high-performance solar cell at lower temperatures, the control of crystallization is required.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.