Zn and Sr co-doped TiO2 mesoporous nanospheres as photoanodes in dye sensitized solar cell

• Published in: Materials chemistry and physics 2019-08, Vol.234, p.259-267
• Main Authors: Ganesh, R. Sankar, Mamajiwala, Aamir.Y., Durgadevi, E., Navaneethan, M., Ponnusamy, S., Kong, C.Y., Muthamizhchelvan, C., Shimura, Y., Hayakawa, Y.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Diamonds; Dye-sensitized solar cells; Dyes; Mesoporous nanosphere; Microscopy; Nanospheres; Open circuit voltage; Photoanodes; Photoelectric effect; Photoelectric emission; Photovoltaic cells; Short circuits; Titanium dioxide; Transmission electron microscopy; Zn, Sr co-doped TiO2
• ISSN: 0254-0584; 1879-3312
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matchemphys.2019.05.092

Mesoporous TiO2 nanospheres that were co-doped with Zn and Sr were synthesized via a simple hydrothermal method. These materials were used as the photoanode in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Field-emission electron microscopy showed that the nanospheres were monodisperse and interconnected, while transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the nanospheres were composed of different nanostructures (nanotubes, diamond and sheet-like structures). Scanning TEM showed a homogeneous distribution of Sr, Ti, Zn and O throughout the nanospheres. When the Zn, Sr co-doped mesoporous TiO2 nanospheres were incorporated into DSSCs, a device efficiency of 4.6%, a short circuit photocurrent density of 8.63 mA cm−2 and an open circuit voltage 0.72 V were achieved. The efficiencies of these devices were higher than that of a comparison device (2.9%) that contained TiO2 (P25). [Display omitted] •Zn, Sr co-doped mesoporous TiO2 showed best efficiency of 4.6% with short circuit photocurrent density of 8.63 mA/cm−2.•EIS measurement showed that doping of zinc reduced the recombination and enhanced the electron transport.•STEM-mapping showed the Zn and Sr were homogenously distributed on the surface of TiO2 nanosphere.