Multidimensional Anodized Titanium Foam Photoelectrode for Efficient Utilization of Photons in Mesoscopic Solar Cells

Jin Soo Kang; Hyelim Choi; Jin Kim; Hyeji Park; Jae Yup Kim; Jung Woo Choi; Seung Ho Yu; Kyung Jae Lee; Yun Sik Kang; Sun Ha Park; Yong Hun Cho; Jun Ho Yum; David C. Dunand; Heeman Choe; Yung Eun Sung

doi:10.1002/smll.201701458

Multidimensional Anodized Titanium Foam Photoelectrode for Efficient Utilization of Photons in Mesoscopic Solar Cells

Jin Soo Kang, Hyelim Choi, Jin Kim, Hyeji Park, Jae Yup Kim, Jung Woo Choi, Seung Ho Yu, Kyung Jae Lee, Yun Sik Kang, Sun Ha Park, Yong Hun Cho, Jun Ho Yum, David C. Dunand, Heeman Choe^*, Yung Eun Sung

^*Corresponding author for this work

Materials Science and Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

Mesoscopic solar cells based on nanostructured oxide semiconductors are considered as a promising candidates to replace conventional photovoltaics employing costly materials. However, their overall performances are below the sufficient level required for practical usages. Herein, this study proposes an anodized Ti foam (ATF) with multidimensional and hierarchical architecture as a highly efficient photoelectrode for the generation of a large photocurrent. ATF photoelectrodes prepared by electrochemical anodization of freeze-cast Ti foams have three favorable characteristics: (i) large surface area for enhanced light harvesting, (ii) 1D semiconductor structure for facilitated charge collection, and (iii) 3D highly conductive metallic current collector that enables exclusion of transparent conducting oxide substrate. Based on these advantages, when ATF is utilized in dye-sensitized solar cells, short-circuit photocurrent density up to 22.0 mA cm⁻² is achieved in the conventional N719 dye-I₃ ⁻/I⁻ redox electrolyte system even with an intrinsically inferior quasi-solid electrolyte.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	1701458
Journal	Small
Volume	13
Issue number	34
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.201701458
State	Published - Sep 13 2017

Funding

Y.-E.S. acknowledges financial support from the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) in Republic of Korea (Project Code: IBS-R006-G1 and IBS-R006-D1). H.C. acknowledges supports from the Basic Science Research Program (2014R1A2A1A11052513), and the Priority Research Centers Programs (2012-0006680) through the National Research Foundation (NRF) of Korea. The authors give thanks to Dr. Yasumasa Chino at Materials Research Institute for Sustainable Development, the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Japan for fabrication of the titanium foam during his stay in Northwestern University as a visiting scholar.

Keywords

anodization
metal foams
solar cells
titanium dioxide

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Chemistry
Engineering (miscellaneous)
Biotechnology
General Materials Science
Biomaterials

Access to Document

10.1002/smll.201701458

Cite this

Kang, J. S., Choi, H., Kim, J., Park, H., Kim, J. Y., Choi, J. W., Yu, S. H., Lee, K. J., Kang, Y. S., Park, S. H., Cho, Y. H., Yum, J. H., Dunand, D. C., Choe, H., & Sung, Y. E. (2017). Multidimensional Anodized Titanium Foam Photoelectrode for Efficient Utilization of Photons in Mesoscopic Solar Cells. Small, 13(34), Article 1701458. https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.201701458

@article{3c11e5a33e0a4c53884f3871e6911be7,

title = "Multidimensional Anodized Titanium Foam Photoelectrode for Efficient Utilization of Photons in Mesoscopic Solar Cells",

abstract = "Mesoscopic solar cells based on nanostructured oxide semiconductors are considered as a promising candidates to replace conventional photovoltaics employing costly materials. However, their overall performances are below the sufficient level required for practical usages. Herein, this study proposes an anodized Ti foam (ATF) with multidimensional and hierarchical architecture as a highly efficient photoelectrode for the generation of a large photocurrent. ATF photoelectrodes prepared by electrochemical anodization of freeze-cast Ti foams have three favorable characteristics: (i) large surface area for enhanced light harvesting, (ii) 1D semiconductor structure for facilitated charge collection, and (iii) 3D highly conductive metallic current collector that enables exclusion of transparent conducting oxide substrate. Based on these advantages, when ATF is utilized in dye-sensitized solar cells, short-circuit photocurrent density up to 22.0 mA cm−2 is achieved in the conventional N719 dye-I3 −/I− redox electrolyte system even with an intrinsically inferior quasi-solid electrolyte.",

keywords = "anodization, metal foams, solar cells, titanium dioxide",

author = "Kang, {Jin Soo} and Hyelim Choi and Jin Kim and Hyeji Park and Kim, {Jae Yup} and Choi, {Jung Woo} and Yu, {Seung Ho} and Lee, {Kyung Jae} and Kang, {Yun Sik} and Park, {Sun Ha} and Cho, {Yong Hun} and Yum, {Jun Ho} and Dunand, {David C.} and Heeman Choe and Sung, {Yung Eun}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim",

year = "2017",

month = sep,

day = "13",

doi = "10.1002/smll.201701458",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "13",

journal = "Small",

issn = "1613-6810",

publisher = "Wiley-VCH Verlag",

number = "34",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Multidimensional Anodized Titanium Foam Photoelectrode for Efficient Utilization of Photons in Mesoscopic Solar Cells

AU - Kang, Jin Soo

AU - Choi, Hyelim

AU - Kim, Jin

AU - Park, Hyeji

AU - Kim, Jae Yup

AU - Choi, Jung Woo

AU - Yu, Seung Ho

AU - Lee, Kyung Jae

AU - Kang, Yun Sik

AU - Park, Sun Ha

AU - Cho, Yong Hun

AU - Yum, Jun Ho

AU - Dunand, David C.

AU - Choe, Heeman

AU - Sung, Yung Eun

PY - 2017/9/13

Y1 - 2017/9/13

N2 - Mesoscopic solar cells based on nanostructured oxide semiconductors are considered as a promising candidates to replace conventional photovoltaics employing costly materials. However, their overall performances are below the sufficient level required for practical usages. Herein, this study proposes an anodized Ti foam (ATF) with multidimensional and hierarchical architecture as a highly efficient photoelectrode for the generation of a large photocurrent. ATF photoelectrodes prepared by electrochemical anodization of freeze-cast Ti foams have three favorable characteristics: (i) large surface area for enhanced light harvesting, (ii) 1D semiconductor structure for facilitated charge collection, and (iii) 3D highly conductive metallic current collector that enables exclusion of transparent conducting oxide substrate. Based on these advantages, when ATF is utilized in dye-sensitized solar cells, short-circuit photocurrent density up to 22.0 mA cm−2 is achieved in the conventional N719 dye-I3 −/I− redox electrolyte system even with an intrinsically inferior quasi-solid electrolyte.

AB - Mesoscopic solar cells based on nanostructured oxide semiconductors are considered as a promising candidates to replace conventional photovoltaics employing costly materials. However, their overall performances are below the sufficient level required for practical usages. Herein, this study proposes an anodized Ti foam (ATF) with multidimensional and hierarchical architecture as a highly efficient photoelectrode for the generation of a large photocurrent. ATF photoelectrodes prepared by electrochemical anodization of freeze-cast Ti foams have three favorable characteristics: (i) large surface area for enhanced light harvesting, (ii) 1D semiconductor structure for facilitated charge collection, and (iii) 3D highly conductive metallic current collector that enables exclusion of transparent conducting oxide substrate. Based on these advantages, when ATF is utilized in dye-sensitized solar cells, short-circuit photocurrent density up to 22.0 mA cm−2 is achieved in the conventional N719 dye-I3 −/I− redox electrolyte system even with an intrinsically inferior quasi-solid electrolyte.

KW - anodization

KW - metal foams

KW - solar cells

KW - titanium dioxide

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85025089438&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85025089438&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/smll.201701458

DO - 10.1002/smll.201701458

M3 - Article

C2 - 28722350

AN - SCOPUS:85025089438

SN - 1613-6810

VL - 13

JO - Small

JF - Small

IS - 34

M1 - 1701458

ER -

Multidimensional Anodized Titanium Foam Photoelectrode for Efficient Utilization of Photons in Mesoscopic Solar Cells

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this