Size-dependent scattering efficiency in dye-sensitized solar cell

Effect of scattering particle size on light scattering efficiency in dye-sensitized solar cell has been investigated with a FTO/semitransparent nano-TiO2 layer (main-layer)/scattering layer (overlayer) structure, where two different rutile TiO2 particles of 0.3 μm (G1) and 0.5 μm (G2) were used for a scattering overlayer and 20-nm anatase particle for nano-TiO2 main-layer. The conversion efficiency of 7.55% for the 7 μm-thick main-layer film is improved to 8.94% and 8.78% when G1 and G2 particulate overlayers are introduced, respectively, corresponding to 18.4% and 16.3% increments. While the conversion efficiency of the 14 μm-thick main-layer is slightly improved from 8.60% to 9.09% and 9.15% upon depositing G1 and G2 particulate overlayers, respectively. Significant improvement and strong size-dependence upon deposition of scattering overlayer on the relatively thinner TiO2 main-layer film are associated with the quantity and wavelength of transmitted light and the difference in reflectivity of G1 and G2 scattering particles.

Graphical abstractSize-dependent scattering efficiency in dye-sensitized solar cell has been investigated with a FTO/semitransparent nano-TiO2 layer (main-layer)/scattering layer (overlayer) structure, where two rutile TiO2 particles with different size of 0.3 μm and 0.5 μm were used for a scattering overlayer. We found that size-dependent scattering efficiency is pronounced when the scattering layer is applied to thinner nanocrystalline TiO2 film, whereas little effect of size-dependence is found when the scattering layer is deposited on the thicker TiO2 film. Energy conversion efficiency was improved from 7.5% to 8.9% upon deposition of smaller scattering particle layer onto thin 7 μm-thick semitransparent film, corresponding to 18.4% increment.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide