Improved efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells applied with F-doped TiO2 electrodes

•It is the first time that F-doped TiO2 electrode has been applied in DSSC.•The influence of F concentration in TiO2 electrodes on performance of DSSCs was investigated.•The highest efficiency obtained with F-doped TiO2 electrodes is about 11.3% higher than that of pure TiO2 electrodes.

Dye-sensitized solar cells were fabricated using F-doped TiO2 electrodes. The X-ray diffraction patterns of the F doped TiO2 is almost the same as that of pure TiO2, showing that F has little influence on the formation of anatase titania. The influence of dopant F on band energetics and photoelectrochemical properties of nanostructured TiO2 electrodes was investigated. Compared with pure TiO2 electrodes, the Efb of F-doped TiO2 electrodes shifted little in electrolytes containing LiClO4. The total trap densities were remarkably decreased as TiO2 electrodes were doped with F. Finally the F-doped TiO2 electrodes were sensitized with Ru[L2(NCS)2], L = 2,2′-bipyridine-4,4′-dicarboxylic acid and their photoelectrochemical properties were studied. Experiment results showed that the content of F plays an important role in the photoelectrochemical properties. The highest conversion efficiency of 8.07% was obtained with F-doped TiO2 electrodes containing F0.05 (molar ratio) under irradiation of 100 mW cm−2 white light, about 11.3% higher than that of pure TiO2 electrodes.

Graphical abstractHighly efficient dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were fabricated using F-doped TiO2 electrodes. Compared with pure TiO2 electrodes, the Efb of F-doped TiO2 electrodes shifted little in electrolytes containing LiClO4. However the total trap densities were remarkably decreased as TiO2 electrodes were doped with F. Experiment results showed that the content of F plays an important role in the photoelectrochemical properties. The highest conversion efficiency of 8.07% was obtained with F-doped TiO2 electrodes containing F0.05 (molar ratio) under irradiation of 100 mW cm−2 white light, about 11.3% higher than that of pure TiO2 electrodes.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide