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Fabrication of highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cell and CO2 reduction photocatalyst using TiO2 nanoparticles prepared by spin coating-assisted sol–gel method

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Abstract

A sol–gel method was applied for fabrication of nanocrystalline anatase TiO2 thin films on ITO glass substrates and followed by rapid thermal annealing for application as the work electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). TiO2 nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the absorption of dye on the TiO2 electrode was shown by UV–vis spectroscopy. By controlling different parameters including numbers of coated layers, the gap between two electrodes, sensitization time, and light source power, TiO2-based solar cells with high efficiency was achieved. The results show that a five time spin-coated TiO2 electrode with applying sealant and sensitization time of 24 h in N3 dye under illumination of 100 W cm−2 tungsten lamp give the optimum power conversion efficiency (η) of 6.61%. The increases in thickness of TiO2 films by increasing the numbers of coated layers can improve adsorption of the N3 dye through TiO2 layers to increase the open-circuit voltage (V oc). However, short-circuit photocurrents (J sc) of DSSCs with a one-coated layer of TiO2 films are smaller than those of DSSCs with five-coated layer of TiO2 films. It could be due to the fact that the increased thickness of TiO2 thin films also resulted in a decrease in the transmittance of TiO2 thin films. Also, this electrode was employed to photoreduce CO2 with H2O under tungsten lamp as light source.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of this work by Isfahan Payame Noor University (PNU) Research council and the defense factories of I. R. Iran for XRD and SEM spectra.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemistry Department, Payame Noor University, 19395-4697, Tehran, I. R. Iran

    M. Oftadeh & A. Aghtar

  2. Department of Materials Science, Islamic Azad University-Najafabad Branch, Isfahan, I. R. Iran

    M. Nasr Esfahani

  3. Institute of Nano Science and Nano Technology, University of Kashan, Kashan, P.O. Box 87317-51167, I. R. Iran

    Masoud Salavati-Niasari

  4. Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Kashan, Kashan, P.O. Box. 87317-51167, I. R. Iran

    Masoud Salavati-Niasari & Noshin Mir

  5. Kohandej Street, Isfahan, Iran

    M. Oftadeh

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  1. M. Oftadeh
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  2. A. Aghtar
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  3. M. Nasr Esfahani
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  4. Masoud Salavati-Niasari
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  5. Noshin Mir
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Correspondence to M. Oftadeh.

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Oftadeh, M., Aghtar, A., Nasr Esfahani, M. et al. Fabrication of highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cell and CO2 reduction photocatalyst using TiO2 nanoparticles prepared by spin coating-assisted sol–gel method. J IRAN CHEM SOC 9, 143–149 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13738-011-0017-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13738-011-0017-8

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