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Electrophoretic Deposition of TiO2 Nanoparticles and Fiber for DSC Application

Shooshtari, Leyla | 2010

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  1. Type of Document: M.Sc. Thesis
  2. Language: Farsi
  3. Document No: 40232 (04)
  4. University: Sharif University of Technology
  5. Department: Physics
  6. Advisor(s): Taghavinia, Nima
  7. Abstract:
  8. Dye Sensitized Solar cell (DSC) is the third class of solar cell, which consists of a nanocrystalline, mesoporous of semiconductor(The best one is Tio2), covered with a monolayer of dye molecules, platinum coated on FTO as a counter electrode and a redox electrolyte. This Photovoltaic cell which is promising low-cost materials, works on electron separation of dye molecule, and electron injection to semiconductor’s conduction photo- electrode structure and its porosity is affected the DSC’s performance. Recently, use of electrophoretic deposition (EPD) for TiO2 electrode (which best found for photo-electrode in DSC) fabrication has gained increased interests. In this method charged particles move under the influence of electric field towards an oppositely charged electrode and deposited there. In this study commercially TiO2 nanocrystalline (P25) are charged with a mixture of iodine, acetone and a small amount of acetylaceton which dispersed in alcoholic media. EPD of TiO2 suspension investigated in constant voltage of 8, 10, 15, 20 and 25Volt, in deposition time of 30- 300 seconds. It’s found that increased thickness of TiO2 film is proportional to deposition time and voltage, as well as microcracks become more obvious in the film surface. The main scope of this thesis is preparing the suitable photo-electrode in DSC, and the film’s microcracks decrease its performance. hence to reduce these TiO2 microcracks, the TiO2 layer by layer hollow fiber (LBLHF)is elected due to their long structure and added to initial suspension in different percentages of weight (5wt%, 10wt%, 15wt%, 20wt%, and 25wt%). SEM analysis reveals film’s crack reduction with addition of fibers and indicates well adhesion of TiO2 nanoparticles to LBLHF which caused diminution in the porosity of layers as well as increase in the level of approximately 66% of the roughness factor. Characteristic of dye-sensitized solar cell using TiO2 NP/LBLHF films as photo-electrods has been analysed. The J-V graphs indicate that addition of fibers has substantial improvement on photovoltaic parameters. Optimum conditions for the 10wt%t of the fiber were obtained, which cause improvement in photoelectric conversion efficiency of about 2.5 times to state that there was no fiber was in the film.
  9. Keywords:
  10. Crack ; Porosity ; Thickness ; Titanium Dioxide ; Nanoparticles ; Titanium Oxide Nanofiber ; Electrophoretic Deposition ; Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

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