Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Fabrication of Nano-TiO2 Coating for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell by Vacuum Cold Spraying at Room Temperature

  • Peer Reviewed
  • Published:
Journal of Thermal Spray Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Deposition of nanocrystalline TiO2 coating at low temperature is becoming more attractive due to the possibility for continuous roll production of the coating for assembly lines of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) at a low cost. In this study, porous nano-TiO2 coating was deposited by vacuum cold spraying (VCS) at room temperature on a conducting glass substrate using commercial P25 nanocrystalline TiO2 powder. The microstructure of TiO2 coating was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and nitrogen adsorption test. A commercial dye (N719) was adsorbed on the surface of TiO2 particles within the coating to assemble a DSC. The cell performance was evaluated by employing simulated solar light at an intensity of 100 mW/cm2. The results showed that TiO2 coating was deposited by the agglomerates of nano-TiO2 powders. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) test of the as-sprayed TiO2 coating yielded a porosity of 49% and an average pore size of 17 nm. The assembled solar cell yielded a short-circuit current density of 7.3 mA/cm2 and an energy conversion efficiency of 2.4%. The test results indicate that VCS was a promising method to deposit nanocrystalline TiO2 coatings at low temperature applied to DSCs.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. B. O’Regan, M. Grätzel, A Low-Cost, High Efficiency Solar Cell Based on Dye-Sensitized Colloidal TiO2 Films, Nature, 1991, 353, p 737-740

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. R.D. McConnell, Assessment of the Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell, Renew, Sust. Energ. Rev., 2002, 6, p 273-295

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. M. Grätzel, Sol-Gel Processed TiO2 Films for Photovoltanic Applications, J. Sol-Gel. Sci. Technol., 2001, 22, p 7-13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. S. Burnside, S. Winkel, K. Brooks, V. Shklover, M. Grätzel, A. Hinsch, R. Kinderman, C. Bradbury, A. Hagfeldt, H. Pettersson, Deposition and Characterization of Screen-Printed Porous Multi-:Layer Thick Film Structures from Semiconducting and Conducting Nanomaterials for Use in Photovoltaic Devices, 2000, J. Mater. Sci.: Mater. Electron., 11, p 355-362

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. M. Grätzel, Conversion of Sunlight to Electric Power by Nanocrystalline Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells, 2004, J. Photoch. Photobio. A: Chemistry, 164, 3-14

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. H. Lindström, A. Holmberg, E. Magnusson, S. E. Lindquist, L. Malmqvist, A. Hagfeldt, A New Method for Manufacturing Nanostructured Electrodes on Plastic Substrates, 2001, Nano. Lett., 1, p 97-100

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. A. Hagfeldt, G. Boschloo, H. Lindström, E. Figgemeier, A. Holmberg, V. Aranyos, E. Magnusson, L. Malmqvist, A System Approach to Molecular Solar Cells, 2004, Coordin. Chem. Rev., 248, p 1501-1509

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. J. Halme, J. Saarinen, P. Lund, Spray Deposition and Compression of TiO2 Nanoparticle Films for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells on Plastic Substrates, 2006, Sol. Energ. Mat. Sol. C., 90, p 887-899

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. S. Ito, T. Takeuchi, T. Katayama, M. Sugiyama, M. Matsuda, T. Kitamura, Y. Wada, S. Yanagida, Conductive and Transparent Multilayer Films for Low-Temperature-Sintered Mesoporous TiO2 Electrodes of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells, 2003, Chem. Mater., 15, p 2824-2828

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. F. Pichot, J.R. Pitts, B.A. Gregg, Low-Temperature Sintering of TiO2 Colloids: Application to Flexible Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells, 2000, Langmuir, 16, p 5626-5630

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. S. Nakade, M. Matsuda, S. Kambe, Y. Saito, T. Kitamura, T. Sakata, Y. Wada, H. Mori, S. Yanagida, Dependence of TiO2 Nanoparticle Preparation Methods and Annealing Temperature on the Efficiency of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells, 2002, J. Phys. Chem. B, 106, p 10004-10010

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. C. Longo, J. Freitas, M.-A. De Paoli, Performance and Stability of TiO2/dye Solar Cells Assembled with Flexible Electrodes and a Polymer Electrolyte, 2003, J. Photoch. Photobio. A: Chemistry, 159, p 33-39

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. T.N. Murakami, Y. Kijitori, N. Kawashima, T. Miyasaka, Low Temperature Preparation of Mesoporous TiO2 Films for Efficient Dye-Sensitized Photoelectrode by Chemical Vapor Deposition Combined with UV Light Irradiation, 2004, J. Photoch. Photobio. A: Chemistry, 164, p 187-191

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. J.H. Yum, S.S. Kim, D.Y. Kim, Y.E. Sun, Electrophoretically Deposited TiO2 Photo-Electrodes for Use in Flexible Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells, 2005, J. Photoch. Photobio. A: Chemistry, 173, p 1-6

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. D.S. Zhang, T. Yoshida, H. Minoura, Low-Temperature Fabrication of Efficient Porous Titania Photoelectrodes by Hydrothermal Crystallization at the Solid/Gas Interface, 2003, Adv. Mater., 15, 814-817

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. D.S. Zhang, T. Yoshida, K. Furuta, H. Minoura, Hydrothermal Preparation of Porous Nano-Crystalline TiO2 Electrodes for Flexible Solar Cells, 2004, J. Photoch. Photobio. A: Chemistry, 164, p 159-166

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. S. Uchida, M. Tomiha, H. Takizawa, M. Kawaraya, Flexible Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells by 28 GHz Microwave Irradiation, 2004, J. Photoch. Photobio. A: Chemistry, 164, p 93-96

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. J. N. Hart, D. Menzies, Y.B. Cheng, G.P. Simon, L. Spiccia, A Comparison of Microwave and Conventional Heat Treatments of Nanocrystalline TiO2, 2007, Sol. Energ. Mat. Sol. C., 91(1), p 6-16

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. D. Gutiérrez-Tauste, I. Zumeta, E. Vigil, M.A. Hernández-Fenollosa, X. Domènech, J.A. Ayllón, New Low-Temperature Preparation Method of the TiO2 Porous Photoelectrode for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Using UV Irradiation, 2005, J. Photoch. Photobio. A: Chemistry, 175, p 165-171

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. T. Kado, M. Yamaguchi, Y. Yamada, S. Hayase, Low Temperature Preparation of Nano-Porous TiO2 Layers for Plastic Dye Sensitized Solar Cell, 2003, Chem. Lett., 32(11), p 1056-1057

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. H. Lindstrom, A. Holmberg, E. Magnusson, L. Malmqvist, A. Hagfeldt, A New Method to Make Dye-Sensitized Nanocrystalline Sola Cells at Room Temperature, 2001, J. Photoch. Photobio. A: Chemistry, 145, p 107-112

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. H. Santa-Nokki, J. Kallioinen, T. Kololuoma, V. Tuboltsev, J. Korppi-Tommola, Dynamic Preparation of TiO2 Films for Fabrication of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells, 2006, J. Photoch. Photobio. A: Chemistry, 182, p 187-191

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. S.-Q. Fan, G.-J. Yang, C.-J. Li, G.-J. Liu, C.-X. Li, L.-Z. Zhang, Characterization of Microstructure of Nano-TiO2 Coating Deposited by Vacuum Cold Spraying, 2006, J. Therm. Spray. Technol., 15(4), p 513-517

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Y. Saito, S. Kambe, T. Kitamura, Y. Wada, S. Yanagida, Morphology Control of Mesoporous TiO2 Nanocrystalline Films for Performance of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells, 2004, Sol. Energ. Mat. Sol. C., 83, p 1-13

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. S.-Q. Fan, C.-J. Li, C.-X. Li, G.-J. Liu, G.-J. Yang, L.-Z. Zhang, Preliminary Study of Performance of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell of Nano-TiO2 Coating Deposited by Vacuum Cold Spraying, 2006, Mater. Trans., 47(7), p 1703-1709

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. G.P. Smestad, M. Grätzel, Demonstrating Electron Transfer and Nanotechnology: A Natural Dye-Sensitized Nanocrystalling Energy Converter, 1998, J. Chem. Educ., 75, p 752-756

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. T. Oekermann, D.S. Zhang, T. Yoshida, H. Minoura, Electron Transport and Back Reaction in Nanocrystalline TiO2 Films Prepared by Hydrothermal Crystallization, 2004, J. Phys. Chem. B, 108, p 2227-2235

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

The present project is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.: 50602035).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, 710049, P.R. China

    Sheng-Qiang Fan, Chang-Jiu Li, Guan-Jun Yang, Ling-Zi Zhang & Jin-Cheng Gao

  2. Applied Chemistry Department, School of Science, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, 710049, P.R. China

    Ying-Xin Xi

Authors
  1. Sheng-Qiang Fan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Chang-Jiu Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Guan-Jun Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ling-Zi Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jin-Cheng Gao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Ying-Xin Xi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chang-Jiu Li.

Additional information

This article is an invited paper selected from presentations at the 2007 International Thermal Spray Conference and has been expanded from the original presentation. It is simultaneously published in Global Coating Solutions, Proceedings of the 2007 International Thermal Spray Conference, Beijing, China, May 14-16, 2007, Basil R. Marple, Margaret M. Hyland, Yuk-Chiu Lau, Chang-Jiu Li, Rogerio S. Lima, and Ghislain Montavon, Ed., ASM International, Materials Park, OH, 2007.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fan, SQ., Li, CJ., Yang, GJ. et al. Fabrication of Nano-TiO2 Coating for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell by Vacuum Cold Spraying at Room Temperature. J Therm Spray Tech 16, 893–897 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11666-007-9090-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11666-007-9090-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation