High-temperature annealing of TiO2 nanotube membranes for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells. (1st October 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mohammadpour, Fatemeh; Altomare, Marco; So, Seulgi; Lee, Kiyoung; Mokhtar, Mohamed; Alshehri, Abdelmohsen; Al-Thabaiti, Shaeel A; Schmuki, Patrik
• Is Part Of: Semiconductor science and technology. Volume 31:Number 1(2016:Jan.)
• Publication Date: 2015-10-01
• Subjects: dye-sensitized solar cell -- TiO2 nanotube membrane -- anodization -- high-temperature crystallization -- electron transport; Semiconductors -- Periodicals; 621.38152
• DOI: 10.1088/0268-1242/31/1/014010
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0268-1242

Abstract

Abstract: We fabricate photo-anodes by transferring anodic TiO2 nanotube membranes in tube-top-down configuration on FTO glass, and use them for constructing frontside illuminated dye-sensitized solar cells. Prior to solar cell construction, the tube-based photo-anodes are crystallized at different temperatures (400–800 °C), and the effects of tube electron transport properties on the photovoltaic performance of the solar cells are investigated. We show that improved solar cell efficiencies (up to ca. 8.0%) can be reached by high-temperature treatment of the tube membranes. Consistent with electron transport time measurements, remarkably enhanced electron mobility is enabled when tube membranes are crystallized at 600 °C.