Preparation of composite light-scattering layer for dye sensitized solar cells

In this work, the dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were fabricated with bilayered structure TiO₂ based photoelectrodes, active and composite light scattering layers. The photoconversion efficiencies of these cells were significantly greater than those of the cells made by single active layered TiO₂ films. The composite scattering layers consist of mixed commercial TiO₂ particles (ST41) and anatase TiO₂ nanoparticles (NPs). The effect of scattering layer composition (ST41:NP weight ratio) on the photovoltaic performance of DSSCs has also been investigated. The best photoconversion efficiency of DSSC was 9.02% (open circuit voltage (V _oc) = 0.76 V, short-circuit photocurrent density (J_sc) = 17.6 mA/cm², fill factor (FF) = 0.68) for ST41 + NP cell (40% ST41 and 60% NPs) with the TiO₂ film thickness of 15.3 μm, which was 58% enhancement compared with the TiO₂ film without scattering-layered TiO₂. The scattering layer effect was vindicated by the incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency measurement.