Solid‐State Organic/Inorganic Hybrid Solar Cells Based on Poly(octylthiophene) and Dye‐Sensitized Nanobrookite and Nanoanatase TiO₂ Electrodes

Abstract

Abstract The performance of solid‐state hybrid dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSC), based on polythiophene polymers as hole‐transporting materials, have been compared by varying TiO 2 mesoporous n‐semiconductor film microstruture parameters such as the crystalline phase (brookite and anatase), initial crystallite size and sintering temperature conditions. For both crystalline phases a rise in the TiO 2 mesoporous film curing temperature from 450 °C to 600 °C produces a twofold increase in the energy conversion efficiency leading to a significant current density improvement. When using the same solar‐cell preparation process and a 500‐nm‐thick photoactive layer, the cells made up of brookite and anatase mesoporous materials give a reproducible solar energy conversion efficiency that reaches 0.48 % and 0.74 %, respectively (at standard AM 1.5).(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008)