Effect of Heat Treatment on CNT/TiO₂ Photoelectrode for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Application

Abstract:

In this research, the CNT/TiO₂ nanocomposite solution was prepared using sol-gel method process. Definite amounts of CNT (0.06 g) were sonicated in 30 ml anhydrate 2-propanol. The measured quantities of Titanium (IV) Tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) – 5 ml were introduced into the CNT/2-propanol solution. The CNT/TiO₂ paste was doctor-bladed onto the FTO glass and consequently annealed at 250 °C, 350 °C and 450 °C for 30 min. The effect of annealing temperatures on the CNT/TiO₂ thin films was discussed. The CNT/TiO₂ thin films were characterized for morphological and electrical performance by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Incident Photon to Charge Carrier Efficiency (IPCE) and IV-Curve Efficiency analysis. The XRD patterns show the thin films major peak at (101) with average anatase phase crystallite size. The CNT/TiO₂ thin film's morphological structure composed of compressed and porous distributed composition. The crystal structures were changed upon increasing the annealing temperature. The IV measurement shows that the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) at 450 °C produced highest photoelectric conversion efficiency (η) with 3.88 %. IPCE graph shows the solar cell absorb light within the UV spectrum region. It is revealed that annealing temperature has influence toward photovoltaic performance of the assembled DSSC.

• Periodical: Journal of Nano Research (Volume 28)
• Pages: 151-162
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/JNanoR.28.151
• Online since: June 2014
• Authors: Mohd Zikri Razali, Abdullah Huda*, Sahbudin Shaari, Mohd Raihan Taha, Azimah Omar, Mohd Ambar Yarmo
• Keywords: Carbon Nanotube (CN), Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell, Sol-Gel Method, Titanium Dioxide

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