Electrophoretic deposition of double-layer ZnO porous films for DSSC photoanode

• Published in: Journal of solid state electrochemistry Vol. 28; no. 2; pp. 589 - 599
• Main Authors: Xu, Shixuan, Fang, Dong, Xiong, Fengming, Ren, Yuxuan, Bai, Chen, Mi, Baoxiu, Gao, Zhiqiang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.02.2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Analytical Chemistry; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Condensed Matter Physics; Dye-sensitized solar cells; Dyes; Electrochemistry; Electron transport; Electrophoretic deposition; Energy conversion efficiency; Energy Storage; Light scattering; Original Paper; Photoanodes; Physical Chemistry; Short circuit currents; Zinc oxide; Zinc oxides; ZnO; Photoanode; Double-layer structure; Electrophoretic; DSSC
• ISSN: 1432-8488; 1433-0768
• DOI: 10.1007/s10008-023-05708-2

In this study, via electrophoretic deposition, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles with different sizes were used to fabricate ZnO photoanode for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Results showed that the ZnO layer fabricated by the large-size ZnO particles was better for electron transport and light scattering but unsuitable for dye loading, while the ZnO layer originating from small-size ZnO particles showed contrary results. DSSC devices with single-layer and double-layer ZnO photoanodes were both built. It was found that compared to single-layer ZnO devices, the short-circuit current density of double-layer devices increased up to 34.8% (from 14.09 to 18.99 mA cm −2 ), which is supposedly due to the balance of electron transport and dye loading, as well as the enhancement of light scattering in the double-layer ZnO photoanode. In the optimal DSSC device, the power conversion efficiency with N719 dye achieves 5.87%, which is among the high values in the DSSC device with ZnO photoanode.