Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Extensive enhancement in power conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cell by using Al-doped TiO2 photoanode

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this work, we have prepared Al-doped TiO2 nanoparticles via a hydrothermal method and used it for making photoanode in dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). Material characterizations were done using XRD, AFM, SEM, TEM and EDAX. XPS results reveal that Al is introduced successfully into the structure of TiO2 creating new impurity energy levels in the forbidden gap. This resulted in tuning of the conduction band of TiO2 and reduced charge recombination which led to better current conversion efficiency of DSSC. Greater dye loading and enhanced surface area was obtained for Al-doped TiO2 compared to un-doped TiO2. I-V analysis, EIS and Bode plots are employed to evaluate photovoltaic performance. The short-circuit current density (J sc) and efficiency (η) of cell employing Al-doped TiO2 photoanode were extensively enhanced compared to the cell using un-doped TiO2. The optical band gap (E g) for Al-doped and un-doped TiO2 was obtained as 2.8 and 3.2 eV, respectively. J sc and η were 13.39 mAcm−2 and 4.27%, respectively, under illumination of 100 mWcm−2 light intensity when thin films of 1% Al-doped TiO2 was employed as photoanode in DSSC using N719 as the sensitizer dye. With the use of un-doped TiO2 as photoanode under similar conditions, J sc 5.12 mAcm−2 and η 1.06% only could be obtained. The maximum IPCE% obtained with Al-doped TiO2 and un-doped TiO2 was 67 and 38% respectively at the characteristic wavelength of dye (λ max = 540 nm). The EIS analyses revealed resistive and capacitive elements that provided an insight into various interfacial processes in terms of the charge transport. It was observed that Al-doping reduced the interfacial resistance leading to better charge transport which has improved both photocurrent density and conversion efficiency. Higher electron mobility and fast diffusion resulting in greater charge collection efficiency was obtained for Al-doped TiO2 compared to the un-doped TiO2. Using the Mott–Schottky plot, the donor density was calculated for un-doped and Al-doped TiO2. The work demonstrated that the Al-doped TiO2 is potential photoanode material for low-cost and high-efficiency DSSC.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. O’regan B, Grätzel M (1991) A low-cost, high-efficiency solar cell based on dye-sensitized. Nature 353:737–740

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Hagfeldt A, Grätzel M (1995) Light-induced redox reactions in nanocrystalline systems. Chem Rev 95:49–68

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Chen X, Mao SS (2007) Titanium dioxide nanomaterials: synthesis, properties, modifications, and applications. Chem Rev 107:2891–2959

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Liu J, Luo J, Yang W, Wang Y, Zhu L, Xu Y, Tang Y, Hu Y, Wang C, Chen Y, Shi W (2015) Synthesis of single-crystalline anatase TiO2 nanorods with high-performance dye-sensitized solar cells. J Mater Sci Technol 31(1):106–109

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Chiba Y, Islam A, Watanabe Y, Komiya R, Koide N, Han L (2006) Dye-sensitized solar cells with conversion efficiency of 11.1%. Jpn J Appl Phys 45:L638–L640

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Geetha M, Suguna K, Anbarasan PM, Aroulmoji V (2014) Preparation and characterisation of tailored TiO2 nanoparticles photoanode for dye sensitised solar cells. Int J Adv Sci Eng 1(1):1–5

    Google Scholar 

  7. Deng K, Li L (2016) Low-temperature and surfactant-free synthesis of mesoporous TiO2 sub-micron spheres for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells. J Mater Sci Technol 32(1):17–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Kushwaha R, Chauhan R, Srivastava P, Bahadur L (2014) Synthesis and characterization of nitrogen-doped TiO2 samples and their application as thin film electrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells. J Solid State Electrochem 014:2623–2628

    Google Scholar 

  9. Shakir S, Khan ZS, Ali A, Akbar N, Musthaq W (2015) Development of copper doped titania based photoanode and its performance for dye sensitized solar cell applications. J Alloys Compd 652:331–340

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Wang KP, Teng H (2009) Zinc-doping in TiO2 films to enhance electron transport in dye-sensitized solar cells under low-intensity illumination. Phys Chem Chem Phys 11:9489–9496

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Niaki AG, Bakhshayesh AM, Mohammadi MR (2014) Double-layer dye-sensitized solar cells based on Zn-doped TiO2 transparent and light scattering layers: improving electron injection and light scattering effect. Sol Energy 103:210–222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Kaur M, Verma NK (2014) CaCO3/TiO2 nanoparticles based dye sensitized solar cell. J Mater Sci Technol 30(4):328–334

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Pan M, Liu H, Yao Z, Zhong X (2015) Enhanced efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells by trace amount Ca-doping in TiO2 photoelectrodes. J Nanomater 2015:1–5

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Musa MZ, Kasbi KA, Aziz AA, Sarah MSP, Mamat MH, Rusop M (2011) Aluminium doping of titanium dioxide thin films using sol–gel method. Mater Res Innov 15(S2):137–140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Song JL, Wang X, Wong CC (2015) Simple preparation of fluorine-doped TiO2 photoanode for high performance dye sensitized solar cells. Electrochim Acta 173:834–838

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Taziwa R, Meyer E (2014) Carbon doped nano-crystalline TiO2 photo-active thin film for solid state photochemical solar cells. Adv Nat 3:54–63

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Geetha M, Suguna K, Anbarasan PM (2012) Photoanode modification in DSSC using chromium doped TiO2 nanoparticles by sol-gel method. Arch Phy Res 3:303–308

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Li M (2013) The research and development of Fe doped TiO2. Res Mater Sci 2:28–33

    Google Scholar 

  19. Lu X, Mou X, Wu J, Zhang D, Zhang L, Huang F, Xu F, Huang S (2010) Improved-performance dye-sensitized solar cells using Nb-doped TiO2 electrodes: efficient electron injection and transfer. Adv Funct Mater 20:509–515

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Long L, Wu L, Yang X, Li X (2014) Photoelectrochemical performance of Nb-doped TiO2 nanoparticles fabricated by hydrothermal treatment of titanate nanotubes in niobium oxalate aqueous solution. J Mater Sci Technol 30(8):765–776

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Kim SB, Park JY, Kim CS, Okuyama K, Lee SE, Jang HD, Kim TO (2015) Effects of graphene in dye-sensitized solar cells based on nitrogen-doped TiO2 composite. J Phys Chem C 119:16552–16559

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Park JY, Lee KH, Kim SB, Kim CS, Lee SE, Okuyama K, Jang HD, Kim TO (2014) Enhancement of dye-sensitized solar cells using Zr/N-doped TiO2 composites as photoelectrodes. RSC Adv 4:9946–9952

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Park JY, Kim CS, Okuyama K, Lee HM, Jang HD, Lee SE, Kim TO (2016) Copper and nitrogen doping on TiO2 photoelectrodes and their functions in dye-sensitized solar cells. J Power Sources 306:764–771

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Li R, Zhao Y, Hou R, Ren X, Yuan S, Lou Y, Wang Z, Li D, Shi L (2016) Enhancement of power conversion efficiency of dye sensitized solar cells by modifying mesoporous TiO2 photoanode with Al-doped TiO2 layer. J Photochem Photobiol A 319:62–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Ko KH, Lee YC, Jung YJ (2005) Enhanced efficiency of dye-sensitized TiO2 solar cells (DSSC) by doping of metal ions. J Colloid Interface Sci 283:482–487

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Liu QP, Huang HJ, Zhou Y, Duan YD, Sun QW, Lin Y (2012) Photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells based on Al-doped TiO2 thin films. Acta Phys -Chim Sin 28:591–595

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Prabu KM, Anbarasan PM (2014) Preparation and characterization of aluminium doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles by sol-gel method for solar cell applications. Int J Sci Res Dev 2(06):2321–0613

    Google Scholar 

  28. Bisquert J, Santiago FF, Sero IM, Belmonte G, Gimenez S (2009) Electron lifetime in dye-sensitized solar cells: theory and interpretation of measurements. J Phys Chem C 113(40):17278–17290

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Folli A, Bloh JZ, Lecaplaion A, Walker R, Macphee DE (2015) Properties and photochemistry of valence-induced-Ti3+enriched (Nb, N)-codoped anatase TiO2 semiconductors. Phys Chem Chem Phys 17(7):4849–4853

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Gupta AK, Srivastava P, Bahadur L (2016) Improved performance of Ag-doped TiO2. Appl Phys A Mater Sci Process 122:1–3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Gu F, Huang W, Wang S, Cheng X, Hu Y, Lee PS (2014) Open-circuit voltage improvement in tantalum-doped TiO2 nanocrystals. Phys Chem Chem Phys 6:25679–25683

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Archana PS, Gupta A, Yusoff MM, Jose R (2014) Tungsten doped titanium dioxide nanowires for high efficiency dye-sensitized solar cells. Phys Chem Chem Phys 16:7448–7454

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

One of the authors (Neetu) is thankful to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi for the award of Junior Research Fellowship (JRF).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India

    Neetu, Ishwar Chandra Maurya, Arun Kumar Gupta, Pankaj Srivastava & Lal Bahadur

Authors
  1. Neetu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ishwar Chandra Maurya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Arun Kumar Gupta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Pankaj Srivastava
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Lal Bahadur
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pankaj Srivastava.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Neetu, Maurya, I.C., Gupta, A.K. et al. Extensive enhancement in power conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cell by using Al-doped TiO2 photoanode. J Solid State Electrochem 21, 1229–1241 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-016-3478-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-016-3478-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation