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ECN publication
Title:
Microstructure characterization of titanium dioxide nanodispersions and thin films for dye-sensitized solar cell devices
 
Author(s):
Deelen, J. van; Kroon, J.M.; Almeida, P. de; Catry, C.; Sneyers, H.; Pataki, T.; Andriessen, R.; Roost, C. van
 
Published by: Publication date:
ECN Solar Energy 1-11-2004
 
ECN report number: Document type:
ECN-RX--04-116 Article (scientific)
 
Number of pages:
10  

Published in: Applied Physics A 79, 1819-1828 (2004) (Springer), , , Vol., p.-.

Abstract:
This article reports on the microstructure characterization of titaniumdioxide nanodispersions and thin films made thereof for dye-sensitized solar cell devices. Structure-property relationships have been investigated mainly using electron microscopy to assess how microstructure (crystalline structure, defects) and morphological (e.g. heterogeneiteis, inclusions, voids) features in the electron transport element of the solar cell device correlate with electrical performance, namely, short-circuit photocurrent density (Jsc). This work shows that for a nanodispersion synthesied in the laboratory different electrical performances ae measureable depending on the thin film forming process, more specifically, heat-sintering at 450 degrees Celsius or pressure-sintering at 500 bar. Dor the heat-sintered one this device Jsc is about 7.3 mA/cm2 whereas for the pressure-sintered one this value is much lower, this difference being attributed to the existence of inclusions in the titanium dioxide matrix, which are spatially isolated from the rest of the electron transport element thereby limiting the charge transport process by promoting their premature recombination.


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