title: Controlling interfacial recombination in aqueous dye-sensitized solar cells by octadecyltrichlorosilane surface treatment.
abstract: A general and convenient strategy is proposed for enhancing photovoltaic performance of aqueous dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) through the surface modification of titania using an organic alkyl silane. Introduction of octadecyltrichlorosilane on the surface of dyed titania photoanode as an organic barrier layer leads to the efficient suppression of electron recombination with oxidized cobalt species by restricting access of the cobalt redox couple to the titania surface. The champion ODTS-treated aqueous DSCs (0.25 mM ODTS in hexane for 5 min) exhibit a V(oc) of 821±4 mV and J(sc) of 10.17±0.21 mA cm(-2), yielding a record PCE of 5.64±0.10%. This surface treatment thus serves as a promising post-dye strategy for improving the photovoltaic performance of other aqueous DSCs.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, Monash University, Victoria 3800 (Australia); Department of Chemistry and State Key Lab of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China).
authors.forename: Cunku
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Wanchun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Fuzhi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Dongchuan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Wenchao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Udo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bach
authors.forename: Yi-Bing
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Leone
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Spiccia
keywords: aqueous electrolytes; cobalt redox couples; dye-sensitized solar cells; insulating monolayers; octadecyltrichlorosilane