title: The application of electrospun titania nanofibers in dye-sensitized solar cells.
abstract: Titania nanofibers were fabricated using the industrial Nanospider(TM) technology. The preparative protocol was optimized by screening various precursor materials to get pure anatase nanofibers. Composite films were prepared by mixing a commercial paste of nanocrystalline anatase particles with the electrospun nanofibers, which were shortened by milling. The composite films were sensitized by Ru-bipyridine dye (coded C106) and the solar conversion efficiency was tested in a dye-sensitized solar cell filled with iodide-based electrolyte solution (coded Z960). The solar conversion efficiency of a solar cell with the optimized composite electrode (η = 7.53% at AM 1.5 irradiation) outperforms that of a solar cell with pure nanoparticle film (η = 5.44%). Still larger improvement was found for lower light intensities. At 10% sun illumination, the best composite electrode showed η = 7.04%, referenced to that of pure nanoparticle film (η = 4.69%). There are non-monotonic relations between the film's surface area, dye sorption capacity and solar performance of nanofiber-containing composite films, but the beneficial effect of the nanofiber morphology for enhancement of the solar efficiency has been demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, v.v.i., Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Dolejškova 3, CZ-18223 Prague 8, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Hana
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Krysova
authors.forename: Arnost
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zukal
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Trckova-Barakova
authors.forename: Aravind Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Chandiran
authors.forename: Mohammad Khaja
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Nazeeruddin
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grätzel
authors.forename: Ladislav
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kavan
mesh_terms: D015082:2,2'-Dipyridyl / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004566:Electrodes; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000737:chemistry; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D012993:Solar Energy; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D004573:Electrolytes; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011108:Polymers; C103599:bis(bipyridyl)ruthenium(II); C009495:titanium dioxide; D015082:2,2'-Dipyridyl; D014025:Titanium