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Stability and efficiency improvement of TiO2-based dye-sensitized solar cells by surface modification of MgO

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Abstract

The efficiencies of dye-sensitized solar cells are limited by the recombination of the electrons in the conduction band of the n-type oxide semiconductor with the photogenerated dye cation and acceptors in the electrolyte. Attempts have been made to resolve this problem by inserting ultra-thin barriers of insulating material between the oxide surface and the dye layer. The strategy has been successful in boosting the efficiency of cells based on SnO2. However, according to previous studies, the adoption of this technique to TiO2 has not been successful, because of the constraints of depositing pin hole free ultra-thin films of oxide insulators over TiO2. Here, a simple method is described for deposition of ultra-thin films of MgO on TiO2. Cells prepared by this technique deliver an efficiency of 10.03% compared 9.27% those based on bare TiO2 films. Studies conducted reveal that DSCs based on TiO2/MgO films are highly stable than bare TiO2 films.

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Data availability

The datasets generated/analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka, for financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Hantana Road, Kandy, 20000, Sri Lanka

    K. D. M. S. P. K. Kumarasinghe, K. Tennakone & G. R. A. Kumara

  2. Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 20400, Sri Lanka

    K. D. M. S. P. K. Kumarasinghe & R. M. G. Rajapakse

  3. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 20400, Sri Lanka

    R. M. G. Rajapakse

  4. Department of Physics, Georgia State University, Atlanta, USA

    K. Tennakone

Authors
  1. K. D. M. S. P. K. Kumarasinghe
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  2. R. M. G. Rajapakse
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  3. K. Tennakone
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  4. G. R. A. Kumara
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Contributions

Conceptualization: K.D.M.S.P.K. Kumarasinghe, K. Tennakone, G.R.A. Kumara; Methodology: K.D.M.S.P.K. Kumarasinghe, G.R.A. Kumara; Formal analysis and investigation: K.D.M.S.P.K. Kumarasinghe, G.R.A. Kumara; Writing-original draft preparation: K.D.M.S.P.K. Kumarasinghe, K. Tennakone, G.R.A. Kumara; Writing-review and editing: R.M.G. Rajapakse, K. Tennakone, G.R.A. Kumara; Supervision: R.M.G. Rajapakse, K. Tennakone, G.R.A. Kumara.

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Correspondence to G. R. A. Kumara.

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Kumarasinghe, K.D.M.S.P.K., Rajapakse, R.M.G., Tennakone, K. et al. Stability and efficiency improvement of TiO2-based dye-sensitized solar cells by surface modification of MgO. J Solid State Electrochem 27, 2681–2690 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-023-05566-y

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