Comparison of Anodic TiO₂‐Nanotube Membranes used for Frontside‐Illuminated Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

Abstract

In the present work we compare TiO 2 nanotube lift-off strategies for the construction of front-side illuminated dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Anodic nanotube layers were detached from the metallic back contact by using different techniques and transferred onto an FTO substrate. We show that if we use an optimized potential step treatment to fabricate membranes, DSSC cell efficiencies can be significantly increased (η > 8%).This improved efficiency is ascribed to higher specific dye-loading and enhanced electron transport properties of optimally fabricated TiO 2 nanotube membranes.

One-Dimensional Titanium Dioxide Nanomaterials: Nanotubes

“…To optionally satisfy these conditions, the bottom of the TiO 2 nanotubes should be opened 660 . Under such optimum conditions, the best conversion efficiency of front side illuminated TiO 2 nanotube based DSSCs is 8.0 % without additional particle decoration 361 , 9.1% after a TiCl 4 treatment, 660 and 9.8% after using bottom opened membranes 627 . Nevertheless, it should be mentioned that 88 TiO 2 nanoparticle layer under nanotubes in NT/NP/FTO solar cell configuration also highly contributes to the overall conversion efficiency, and only few studies clearly separate the effects of tube layers from nanoparticle layers 266 .…”

Free‐Standing Membranes to Study the Optical Properties of Anodic TiO2 Nanotube Layers

“…After anodization, the samples are treated in a 30 % H 2 O 2 aqueous solution at room temperature for ca. 3 h. Owing to the higher chemical stability of the upper anodic layer, this treatment leads to the chemical dissolution of the lower tube layer, so that the upper one is detached from the substrate as entire self‐standing TiO 2 nanotube membrane …”

Double-layer TiO2 nanotube arrays by two-step anodization: Used in back and front-side illuminated dye-sensitized solar cells

“…Over the past decade TiO 2 nanotubes have been widely used as photoanode in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) [1][2][3][4]. Highly ordered geometry [5,6], promising optical and electronic properties [7][8][9] and one dimensional direction of electron movements [10,11] make them a good candidate for this purpose.…”