Improved Photoelectrical Performance of Single crystalline Rutile TiO2 Nanorod Arrays incorporating α-alumina for High Efficiency Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

Publication date: Available online 19 November 2018Source: Materials LettersAuthor(s): N. Sriharan, N.M. Ganesan, Misook Kang, L. Kungumadevi, T.S. SenthilAbstractNovel architecture like TiO2 nanorod arrays (TNR) incorporating α-alumina (ATNR) thin film have been fabricated on the fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) by a modest and flexible doctor-blade technique based hydrothermal method. α-Al2O3, TNR and ATNR were used as a photoanode in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and their photovoltaic performance was evaluated. The crystallinity, presence of α-Al2O3 on TNR and morphology of the photoanodes were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning microscopy and high-resolution transmission scanning microscopy. DSSCs fabricated with 1.0 wt% α-Al2O3 added TNR exhibited an improved open-circuit photo voltage of 0.68 V, short-circuit current density of 15.23 mA cm−2, fill factor of 0.63 and photo-electric conversion efficiency (PCE) of 6.5%.Graphical abstract
Source: Materials Letters - Category: Materials Science Source Type: research