One-step synthesis of hierarchical SnO2/TiO2 composite hollow microspheres as an efficient scattering layer for dye-sensitized solar cells

• Published in: Electrochimica acta Vol. 296; pp. 142 - 148
• Main Authors: Xie, Fengyan, Wang, Jingjing, Li, Yafeng, Dou, Jie, Wei, Mingdeng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 10.02.2019
• Subjects: Dye-sensitized solar cells; Light scattering layer; Photovoltaic performance; SnO2/TiO2 microspheres; Dye-sensitized solar cells; Photovoltaic performance; Light scattering layer; SnO2/TiO2 microspheres
• ISSN: 0013-4686; 1873-3859
• DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2018.10.194

Hierarchical SnO2/TiO2 composite hollow microspheres were synthesized via one-step hydrothermal route by using titanium tetrabutoxide as titanium source and potassium stannate and tripolycyanamide as co-additive, and the samples were characterized by XRD, BET, SEM and TEM measurements. The results denoted that the synthesized microspheres with a diameter of ca 500–1000 nm were assembled by thin nanosheets and possessed a large surface area of 199.3 m2 g−1. In addition, EDX and element mapping measurements indicated that a small amount of SnO2 nanoparticles uniformly distributed among the nanosheets of microspheres. The hierarchical microspheres simultaneously facilitated dye adsorption, light harvesting, and electron transport, giving rise to a high photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 8.70% when applied as scattering layer for dye-sensitized solar cells, which was a 28.1% improvement compared to that of bare nanocrystalline TiO2 (6.79%, Dyesol) based cell. Hierarchical SnO2/TiO2 composite hollow microspheres with large specific surface area were synthesized and applied as scattering layer for dye-sensitized solar cells, giving a high efficiency of 8.70%, which was a 28.1% improvement compared to that of bare nanocrystalline TiO2. [Display omitted] •Hierarchical SnO2/TiO2 composite hollow microspheres were synthesized via a one-step hydrothermal route.•The nanosheets assembled microspheres exhibited a large specific surface area and superior light scattering capability.•Cell with the hierarchical microspheres scattering layer given a high efficiency of 8.70%.