Study On The Anode TiO₂Film Of Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

The Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell （DSSC） is a new kind of photoelectrochemical solar cell.Depending on the simple manufacturing process, low cost, stable performance, friendly toenvironment, it will have a broad prospect of application. This paper summarized the research history,the current research status and development trend, then a simple introduction of the DSSC structureand principle was outlined; this paper focused on the different methods of preparing TiO₂film, and theparameters in the experience which impacted on the DSSC’s performance; discussed and improvedthe preparation of cathode and the technics of encapsulation; researched and assembled large area ofDSSCs tentatively.First, Made the titanium sol by titanium acid butyl acetate, anhydrous alcohol and deionizedwater, then pulled the conductive glass from the sol to prepare the TiO₂film. Compared the surfacemorphology of different layers of these films, and got the following conclusion: with the increasing ofthe layers of film, the size of TiO₂particles gradually increased, Compared the same layers of filmsbefore and after sintering, it’s found that the size of TiO₂particles after sintering is smaller than beforedoing. After sintering finished, the films became transparent, along with the higher number of layers,the films gradually reduced transparency, but increased the dye absorption. Assembled DSSCs bydifferent layers of films and then testing their IV curve, it’s found that when the film’s layers were8,the photoelectric performance of the film was best.Second, Grinded the P25power, deionized water, acetyl acetone, Triton X-100to make the TiO₂pulp, then prepared the films through scraping coat on the conductive glass. Discussed theexperimental parameters which affected on the performance of batteries, and the results showed that:when using1.5g P25,3ml deionized water,0.5ml acetyl acetone,0.2ml Triton X-100, grinding thepulp for60min,500℃of the heat treatment temperature, holding time for30min, the films afterassembling into the batteries did the best photoelectric performance.Third, compared the quality of three kinds of films which were prepared by different methods:（1）the sol pulling method: made the titanium sol by using the titanium acid butyl acetate, anhydrousalcohol, diethanolamine and deionized water as raw materials, then pulled the conductive glass fromthe sol to prepare the TiO₂film;（2） the powder scraping method: Grinded the titanium pulp with theP25, deionized water, acetyl acetone, Triton X-100, then scraped the pulp on the conductive glass toprepared TiO₂film;（3）the mixed coating method: mixed and grinded the P25powder, titanium sol which is made by titanium acid butyl acetate, anhydrous alcohol, diethanolamine and deionized water,additive acetyl acetone, Triton X-100, then coated the pulp on conductive glass to prepare TiO2films.By comparison, the TiO2films prepared by the mixed coating method did the better photoelectricperformance than the other two kinds of preparation methods.Finally, discussed and improved the packaging process, and did the systematic research of thepreparation process of large area of DSSCs. Prepared the large area of TiO2films through the powerscraping method, and the films bathed in the dye solution after heat treatment for a period of time to getTiO2/dye electrode, encapsulated together with the carbon electrode, injected the electrolyte in the gapbetween the two electrodes, connected the external circuit, completed the whole assembly work ofDSSCs, the testing results showed that the properties of DSSCs were stalble.