Preparation and photovoltaic properties of layered TiO2/carbon nanotube/TiO2 photoanodes for dye-sensitized solar cells

• The paper shows the realization of CNT/TiO2 photoanodes for dye sensitized solar cells.
• Carbon nanotubes weight percentages between 0.2% and 0.4% show PCE of %.
• Photoanodes realized in three-layer configuration, TiO2/carbon nanotube/TiO2, show a PCE of 10.5%.
• Obtained values for PCE and FF are 2.4 times greater with respect to that of classical TiO2 anode.

In this paper, we report on the realization of photoanodes for dye sensitized solar cells based on composites of carbon nanotubes and titanium dioxide nanoparticles. Our results show the best photovoltaics performance for carbon nanotubes weight percentages between 0.2% and 0.4%. Photoanodes realized in three-layer configuration, TiO2/carbon nanotube/TiO2, show a cell efficiency of 10.5% and a fill factor of 70%, values 2.4 times greater with respect to that of classical TiO2 anode. The presence of carbon nanotubes enhances the charge transport, strongly reducing the electron/hole recombination in the anode bulk, while the double layer of TiO2 increases the dye adsorption limiting the reduction caused by the presence of carbon nanotubes.