Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering (한국표면공학회지)

The Korean Institute of Surface Engineering (한국표면공학회)
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Transparent Counter Electrode for Quantum Dot-Sensitized Solar Cells with Nanotube Electrodes

나노튜브 전극 기반 양자점 감응 태양전지 구현을 위한 투명한 상대전극

  • Kim, Jae-Yup (Division of Chemical Engineering, Hoseo University)
  • Received : 2019.02.01
  • Accepted : 2019.02.20
  • Published : 2019.02.28
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Abstract

Anodic oxidized $TiO_2$ nanotube arrays are promising materials for application in photoelectrochemical solar cells as the photoanode, because of their attractive properties including slow electron recombination rate, superior light scattering, and smooth electrolyte diffusion. However, because of the opacity of these nanotube electrodes, the back-side illumination is inevitable for the application in solar cells. Therefore, for the fabrication of solar cells with the anodic oxidized nanotube electrodes, it is required to develop efficient and transparent counter electrodes. Here, we demonstrate quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSCs) based on the nanotube photoanode and transparent counter electrodes. The transparent counter electrodes based on Pt electrocatalysts were prepared by a simple thermal decomposition methods. The photovoltaic performances of QDSCs with nanotube photoanode were tested and optimized depending on the concentration of Pt precursor solutions for the preparation of counter electrodes.

Keywords

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Fig. 1 Schematic device structure of quantum dotsensitized solar cells employing a TiO2 nanotube electrode with a semitransparent Pt counter electrode.

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Fig. 2 SEM images of the surface of (a) one-step anodic oxidized TiO2 nanotube electrode, (b) pre-treated Ti substrate, and (c) two-step anodic oxidized TiO2 nanotube electrode. (d) Cross-sectional SEM image of two-step anodic oxidized TiO2 nanotube electrode.

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Fig. 4 Surface SEM images of (a) bare FTO glass and (b) Pt-coated FTO glass.

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Fig. 3 (a) Photographs of the Pt precursor solutions and Pt-coated FTO glasses according to the concentration of Pt precursor solution. (b) Specular transmittance of Pt-coated FTO glasses according to the concentration of Pt precursor solution.

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Fig. 5 (a) electrochemical impedance spectra and (b) photocurrent density-voltage (J-V) characteristics of Pt counter electrodes according to the concentration of Pt precursor solution. The inset in (a) shows the equivalent circuit model.

Table 1. Summary of J-V characteristics for quantum dot-sensitized solar cells with Pt counter electrodes according to the concentration of Pt precursor solution.

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