Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Performance of Photoanode Fabricated Using Polystyrene Ball Embedded TiO2 Pastes

This paper reports the enhanced performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) with TiO2 photoanodes fabricated using polystyrene (PS) balls embedded in TiO2 pastes. During TiO2 photoanode sintering processes, the embedded PS balls evaporated, leaving randomly distributed cavities in the photoanodes. These cavities enhanced the multiple scattering of light, thus increasing the optical path to improve the absorption of light by the N719 dyes. The short circuit current and efficiency were both improved by 17% (to the efficiency of 5.51%) for the DSSCs, whose TiO2 photoanodes were made using 1 mu m diameter PS balls in the pastes. (C) 2010 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI:10.1149/1.3505876] All rights reserved.