Transmission booster from SiO2 incorporated TiO2 crystallites: Enhanced conversion efficiency in dye-sensitized solar cells

• SiO2 incorporated TiO2 crystallites were used for transmission enhanced photoanodes.
• Excitation of dye molecules was significantly elevated.
• An efficiency of 9.98% was recorded on DSSC from 1 wt% SiO2 incorporated TiO2.

Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) is a promising solution to energy depletion, environmental pollution, and ecological destruction. However, the further elevation of power conversion efficiency is limited by low electron density on conduction band (CB) of TiO2 crystallite, resulting from the low dye-excitation efficiency, recombination of electrons with ions in liquid electrolyte as well as photodegradation of dye molecules. With an aim of enhancing the power conversion efficiency, here we designed SiO2 incorporated TiO2 crystallite photoanode to elevate dye excitation, to suppress the recombination of electron-electrolyte, and to enhance the dye photostability. We found that the highest conversion occurred at 1 wt% SiO2 incorporated TiO2 crystallite-based DSSC, giving an impressive power conversion efficiency of 9.98% (measured under standard AM1.5 test conditions) in comparison with 6.13% from pure TiO2 photoanode-based DSSC. This strategy provides new opportunities for the fabrication of highly efficient DSSCs.

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