TiO2-bismuth screen printing ink for flexible low temperature dye sensitized solar cells

Abstract

Flexible dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) possess multiple advantages with wide application and good commercialisation potential. However, the low conversion efficiency of the technology from poor charge transfer and interparticle contact has limited their utilisation. Thus, the research aims to enhance the performance of flexible plastic-based titanium dioxide (TiO2) film via the formation of TiO2-bismuth (Bi) ink for screen-printing of DSSC photoanode film. The implementation of Bi nanoparticles as sintering aid has managed to improve the interparticle contact in the photoanode film with neck formation at the TiO2-Bi interface. This phenomenon has also led to the lowering of resistance values by 57 - 65% with charge transfer resistance of 11.72 kΩ.cm2 and series resistance of 38.28 kΩ.cm2 for the TiO2-Bi photoanode. The recombination reactions were also reduced with longer electron lifetime of 0.0036 ms and enhanced charge transfer. The research has managed to prepare TiO2-Bi ink that would be suitable for the fabrication of flexible DSSC photoanode film via screen printing. Hence, the outcome of the research could potentially lead to the development of highly efficient flexible low temperature DSSC and enhance their commercialisation potential.