Preparation of a nanoporous CaCO3-coated TiO2 electrode and its application to a dye-sensitized solar cell

A nanoporous CaCO3 over-layer-coated TiO2 thick film was prepared by the topotactic thermal decomposition of Ca(OH)(2), and its performance as an electrode of a dye-sensitized solar cell was investigated. As compared to bare TiO2, nanoporous CaCO3-coated TiO2 provided higher specific surface area and, subsequently, a larger amount of dye adsorption; this in turn increased short-circuit current (J(SC)). Furthermore, the CaCO3 coating demonstrated increased impedance at the TiO2/dye/electrolyte interface and increased the lifetime of the photoelectrons, indicating the improved retardation of the back electron transfer, which increases J(SC) open-circuit voltage (V,,), and fill factor (0). Thereby, the energy conversion efficiency (q) of the solar cell improved from 7.8 to 9.7% (an improvement of 24.4%) as the nanoporous CaCO3 layer was coated onto TiO2 thick films.