Performance Evaluation of Titanate Nanotubes and Nanoribbons Deposited by Electrophoresis in Photoelectrodes of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Abstract

Nanoparticles of TiO 2 have been the main semiconductor applied in Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). In this work, titanate nanotubes (NaTiNT) and nanoribbons, were obtained by the hydrothermal method from TiO 2 anatase. These materials were deposited on conductive substrate by electrophoresis, with and without thermal treatment, sensitized by ruthenium-based dye and used as work electrode. Exposing those photovoltaic devices to visible radiation, with films before thermal treatment, a short-circuit current density (J SC ) of 0.0012 mA/cm 2 was observed for the cell with NaTiNT, a current density of 0.0398 mA/cm 2 for the cell with Nanoribbons, and a current density of 0.4028 mA/cm 2 for the cell with TiO 2 as electrode. After thermal treatment, a short-circuit current density of 0.4269 mA/cm 2 was observed for the cell with NaTiNT, a current density of 0.0765 mA/cm 2 for the Nanoribbons cell, and, finally, a current density of 0.3310 mA/cm 2 for the cell with TiO 2 as electrode. The new morphological, structural and optical characteristics of these nanoparticles may contribute for the development and research of new generation photovoltaic devices.

Changing the morphology of one-dimensional titanate nanostructures affects its tissue distribution and toxicity

“…Regarding TiO 2 nanoribbons, the purpose of using the anatase precursor to prepare the TiO 2 nanoribbons was based on Sheng et al (2012) who investigated the influence of the TiO 2 precursor nature and the reaction duration on the formation and crystallinity of the TiO 2 nanoribbons. Consequently, the aforementioned procedures allowed TiO 2 nanoribbons at 150 C to form TiO 2 precursors; even though Souza et al stated that the TiO 2 nanoribbons are formed only at temperatures greater than 180 C (Souza et al, 2018). Once again, Figure 1 shows the XRD pattern of the TiO 2 nanoribbons with a crystalline feature that is similar to hydrogen titanate (H 2 Ti 3 O 7 ) (Bellat et al, 2015).…”

Effects of tin on the performance of ZnO photoanode for DSSC

“…This resistance could have been caused by the formation of Zn 2+ /dye particles aggregation, which stops the transportation of the excited electrons [3]. This aggregation also reduces the specific surface area, which affects the efficiency of the cell [28]. ROY et al (2021) [29], reaffirms this theory, according to whom, to maximize the photochemical properties of the photoanode, it is necessary to optimize the dye loading, avoiding the formation of aggregates.…”