Nanotube Arrays as Photoanodes for Dye Sensitized Solar Cells Using Metal Phthalocyanine Dyes

Abstract

A highly ordered TiO2 nanotubes (NTs) array was grown on Ti substrate by anodization method in HF-H3PO4 electrolyte. The morphology and microstructure of TiO2 NTs were investigated by scanning probe microscope (SPM), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). It was found that anatase phase of TiO2 prevailed with an average inner pore diameter of about 110 nm. The applicability of TiO2 NTs arrays to dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) using different metal phthalocyanine dyes was studied in dark and under illumination. The photoelectrochemical properties of the prepared TiO2 electrodes under different conditions were investigated using I-V characteristic curves. Interesting results were obtained using cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPC) dye sensitized nanotubular TiO2 solar cell under optimized conditions which showed good conversion efficiency (0.17 %) under illumination of 100 mW cm-2 with good stability for many turnovers.