Nanotube- and Nanorod-Based Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Abstract

Considerable efforts have been devoted to the design and synthesis of low-dimensional, nanostructured materials due to their morphology-dependent performances. In particular, one-dimensional (1-D) TiO2 nanostructures, including nanorods (NRs), nanowires (NWs), and nanotubes (NTs), have attracted considerable interest due to their unique characteristics. In dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) operation, 1-D nanostructure-based photoanodes can contribute to rapid electron transport, ensuring efficient charge collection by the conducting substrate in competition with recombination. Relying on the ordering of 1-D TiO2 nanomaterial, the conversion efficiency of DSSCs was affected because electron collection is determined by trapping/detrapping events at the site of the electron traps, such as defects, surface states, grain boundaries, and self-trapping. This point has promoted research on self-ordered, 1-D photoanodes stretched on a substrate with enhanced electron transport properties due to their desirable features: highly decreased intercrystalline contacts and a structure with a specified directionality. In this literature review, the preparation of various 1-D nanomaterials from disordered to ordered states and their electron dynamics in the application of DSSCs are reviewed.