Photovoltaic Performance of TiO2Mesoporous Films with Different Working Areas for Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

Abstract

The photovoltaic performance of Dye-sensitized Solar Cells (DSSC) could be optimized by playing the working area of the mesoporous TiO2 photoanode. A small working area will enhance the photovoltage and power conversion efficiency. In comparison, a large working area will improve the recombination rate and reduce the photon particle transport rate at the photoanode. The TiO2 based photoanode layer consists of a blocking layer and mesoporous paste deposited using spin coating and screen printing technique, respectively with various working areas of 0.25, 0.30, and 0.56 cm2. The cells were characterized using XRD, SEM-EDX, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and solar simulator. XRD confirmed that the TiO2 was in the anatase phase. SEM image represented a high surface area of mesoporous TiO2 indicated by porosity level up to 70%. The elemental analysis of TiO2 using EDX observed the presence of Ti and O peaks. The TiO2 mesoporous-based photoanode immersed in 0.07 mM of N719 solution possessed an absorbance range in the ultraviolet to the visible light. The working area of 0.25 cm2 exhibited a promising power conversion efficiency of 2.02% with a circuit current density of 10.8 mA/cm2 under an illumination light of 100 mW/cm2.