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Improved Performance of Quasi-solid State Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells After Photoanode Surface Treatment with Novel Materials

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Sustainable Energy in the Built Environment - Steps Towards nZEB

Part of the book series: Springer Proceedings in Energy ((SPE))

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Abstract

At the present work, we investigate the effect of TiO2 nanocrystalline films surface treatment with two titanium based organic materials using chemical bath deposition technique. The two novel materials are titanium(IV) (triethanolaminato) isopropoxide and titanium(IV) bis(ammonium lactate)dihydroxide which are structural different from TiCl4 which is a common material for TiO2 post-treatment. The treated and untreated films are examined as negative photoelectrodes in quasi-solid state dye sensitized solar cells. The cells were characterized in terms of their electrical characteristics while direct comparisons based on the structural properties of the films were also made. Both treated films as photoelectrodes in dye sensitized solar cells exhibited better performance compared to the untreated films with recorded 26–30 % increase to the overall efficiency depending on the material used for the treatment. Dark current measurements were also performed in order to evaluate the effect of both materials as reducers of charge recombination rates.

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Acknowledgments

This research has been co-financed by the European Union (European Social Fund - ESF) and Greek national funds through the Operational Program “Education and Lifelong Learning” of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF)—Research Funding Program: ARCHIMEDES III, Investing in knowledge society through the European Social Fund.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical Engineering, Technological-Educational Institute of Western Greece, 26334, Patras, Greece

    D. Sygkridou, A. Rapsomanikis, A. Apostolopoulou, A. Ifantis & E. Stathatos

  2. Department of Physics, University of Patras, 26500, Patras, Greece

    D. Sygkridou & A. Apostolopoulou

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  1. D. Sygkridou
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  2. A. Rapsomanikis
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  3. A. Apostolopoulou
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  4. A. Ifantis
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  5. E. Stathatos
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Correspondence to E. Stathatos .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Product Design, Mechatronics and Environment, Transilvania University of Brasov, Braşov, Romania

    Ion Visa

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Sygkridou, D., Rapsomanikis, A., Apostolopoulou, A., Ifantis, A., Stathatos, E. (2014). Improved Performance of Quasi-solid State Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells After Photoanode Surface Treatment with Novel Materials. In: Visa, I. (eds) Sustainable Energy in the Built Environment - Steps Towards nZEB. Springer Proceedings in Energy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-09707-7_27

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-09707-7_27

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-09706-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-09707-7

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