High-surface-area, interconnected, nanofibrillar TiO2 structures as photoanodes in dye-sensitized solar cells

The utilization of high-surface-area, nanofibrillar, electrospun TiO2 thin films with intact fiber morphology as photoanodes in dye-sensitized solar cells has been demonstrated. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements indicated that these photoanodes exhibited good charge transport and collection. Devices fabricated from these interconnected nanofibers (3 μm thick) attained efficiencies of 4.2% (N719 dye). For comparison, nanoparticle photoanodes of similar thickness were also prepared. The fabrication steps of the cells which preserve the interconnected morphology of the photoanodes are simple and economical.