Effects of compression at elevated temperature for electrophorically deposited TiO2-based dye-sensitized solar cell

In this investigation, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were prepared by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of commercially available nanometersized titanium oxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (anatase, ST01) on fluorine- doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrates. The rate of cathodic electrophoretic deposition of TiO2 nanoparticle agglomerates and the density of the obtained films were explored as a function of the applied electric field, keeping optimized suspension compositions, such as the particle concentration and the type of solvent. Optimized deposition conditions were found to result in homogeneous, well-controlled, mesoporous TiO2 thick-film photoanodes. Compression of the prepared glass substrate TiO2 photoanode at elevated temperature was commenced as a promising postdeposition surface treatment. The photovoltaic performance characteristics of DSSC prepared by this method were found to be considerably improved compared with those of DSSCs prepared by high-temperature postannealing and compression at room temperature. Surface morphologies were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and significant improvement was observed after compression as well as compression at elevated temperature. (C) 2016 The Japan Society of Applied Physics