Preparation and properties of mixed metal oxides based layered double hydroxide as anode materials for dye-sensitized solar cell

In this paper, a new simple approach has been developed for the preparation of anode materials for dye-sensitized solar cell by a facile calcination method using the layered double hydroxide (LDH) as a precursor. The ZnAl-LDH with molar ratio Zn:Al = 3:1 is prepared by urea method. The mixed metal oxides (MMO) are prepared by calcining the LDH at different temperatures and a series of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) are assembled by the corresponding oxides and the dye Ruthenizer 535-bisTBA (N719). The basic parameters are investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), nitrogen sorption analysis and UV-Vis absorption spectrum. The band gap of the MMO (about 3.13 eV) obtained from ZnAl-LDH is similar to that of the pure ZnO (about 3.2 eV). The photovoltaic behaviors of solar cells are characterized and the best efficiency is 0.0129% when the calcining temperature is 500 degrees C. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.