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Electrophoretic deposition of double-layer ZnO porous films for DSSC photoanode

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Abstract

In this study, via electrophoretic deposition, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles with different sizes were used to fabricate ZnO photoanode for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Results showed that the ZnO layer fabricated by the large-size ZnO particles was better for electron transport and light scattering but unsuitable for dye loading, while the ZnO layer originating from small-size ZnO particles showed contrary results. DSSC devices with single-layer and double-layer ZnO photoanodes were both built. It was found that compared to single-layer ZnO devices, the short-circuit current density of double-layer devices increased up to 34.8% (from 14.09 to 18.99 mA cm−2), which is supposedly due to the balance of electron transport and dye loading, as well as the enhancement of light scattering in the double-layer ZnO photoanode. In the optimal DSSC device, the power conversion efficiency with N719 dye achieves 5.87%, which is among the high values in the DSSC device with ZnO photoanode.

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Funding

This work was financially supported by the Project of State Key Laboratory of Organic Electronics and Information Displays, Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications (2009DS690095); the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD: YX03001, YX03002); the Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials (SICAM); and the Synergistic Innovation Center for Organic Electronics and Information Displays.

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  1. State Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics and Information Displays, Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials (SICAM), Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, 9 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Shixuan Xu, Dong Fang, Yuxuan Ren, Chen Bai & Baoxiu Mi

  2. Jiangsu Engineering Centre for Plate Displays & Solid State Lighting, School of Material Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, 9 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Fengming Xiong & Zhiqiang Gao

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  1. Shixuan Xu
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Correspondence to Baoxiu Mi or Zhiqiang Gao.

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Xu, S., Fang, D., Xiong, F. et al. Electrophoretic deposition of double-layer ZnO porous films for DSSC photoanode. J Solid State Electrochem 28, 589–599 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-023-05708-2

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