Efficient dye-sensitized solar cells using electrospun TiO2 nanofibers as a light harvesting layer

Abstract

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanofibers were fabricated directly onto thick nanoparticle electrodes by using electrospinning and sol-gel techniques. After calcination, the anatase TiO2 nanofibers obtained exhibited a one-dimensional structure of high crystallinity and average diameter of ∼250nm. Dye (N719) sensitized photoelectrochemical cells comprised of a nanoparticle/nanofiber electrode were fabricated. An IPCE of 85% at the wavelength of 540nm with conversion efficiencies of 8.14% and 10.3% (for areas of 0.25 and 0.052cm2, respectively) were obtained under 1.5 AM (100mW∕cm2) illumination.