Elsevier

Ceramics International

Volume 37, Issue 3, April 2011, Pages 1017-1024
Ceramics International

Synthesis and characterization of mesoporous TiO2 nanostructured films prepared by a modified sol–gel method for application in dye solar cells

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2010.11.014Get rights and content
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Abstract

Anatase TiO2 colloidal dispersions were obtained by hydrothermal synthesis at 200 °C from titanium isopropoxide gels modified with acetic acid in the presence of a non-ionic surfactant. Absolute ethanol, anhydrous terpineol and ethyl cellulose were added to this anatase dispersion resulting in a 23 wt% TiO2 paste. Mesoporous films for application as working electrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells were prepared by the screen-printing method, yielding reproducible films with thicknesses about 10 μm and desired porosity levels in a single printing operation. An average energy conversion efficiency of 5.2%, and a fill factor of 0.66 were achieved with anatase particle sizes ranging between 15 and 20 nm. The reproducibility of the results was confirmed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis.

Keywords

Nanoparticle TiO2
Sol–gel
Hydrothermal synthesis
DSC

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