Glass-encapsulated light harvesters: More efficient dye-sensitized solar cells by deposition of self-aligned, conformal, and self-limited silica layers

Ho Jin Son, Xinwei Wang, Chaiya Prasittichai, Nak Cheon Jeong, Titta Aaltonen, Roy G. Gordon*, Joseph T. Hupp

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

101 Scopus citations

Abstract

A major loss mechanism in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) is recombination at the TiO 2/electrolyte interface. Here we report a method to reduce greatly this loss mechanism. We deposit insulating and transparent silica (SiO 2) onto the open areas of a nanoparticulate TiO 2 surface while avoiding any deposition of SiO 2 over or under the organic dye molecules. The SiO 2 coating covers the highly convoluted surface of the TiO 2 conformally and with a uniform thickness throughout the thousands of layers of nanoparticles. DSCs incorporating these selective and self-aligned SiO 2 layers achieved a 36% increase in relative efficiency versus control uncoated cells.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)9537-9540
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society
Volume134
Issue number23
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 13 2012

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Chemistry
  • Biochemistry
  • Catalysis
  • Colloid and Surface Chemistry

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