| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 179052 | Electrochemistry Communications | 2014 | 4 Pages |
•For the first time, highly ordered Nb2O5 nanochannels were used in DSSCs.•DSSCs with 10 μm films had the best performance compared with other film thicknesses.•Thicker films decreased the electron lifetime and the charge transfer resistance.•More embedded impurities in thicker films hindered the performance of the DSSCs.
Highly ordered anodized Nb2O5 nanochannels are synthesized and utilized as the photoanodes for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). We characterize these DSSCs to determine the optimum photoanode thickness for the best cell performance. The samples with thicknesses from 5 to 25 μm are obtained in glycerol based electrolyte at 180 °C and their photoconversion properties are investigated utilizing various techniques including photocurrent–voltage characteristic, photovoltage decay and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Overall, the DSSC incorporating a 10 μm thick Nb2O5 photoanode shows the highest efficiency of 4.48%. We analyze the factors that limit the efficiency of DSSCs.
