Improved Open-Circuit Voltage of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells with LiNO₃-Incorporated Titanium Dioxides

Abstract

The influence of LiNO₃incorporation onto TiO₂electrodes on the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) was studied. LiNO₃-incorporated TiO₂electrodes were prepared by a dip coating process and the resulting electrodes were applied to DSSCs. Open circuit voltage (V_oc ) of DSSC with a LiNO₃-modified TiO₂layer was averagely improved by over 24% compared to that of a reference device with bare TiO₂. The conduction band edge shift of TiO₂to a negative direction, arising from the formation of a surface dipole, accounted for the improvement in V_oc .

Keywords:

• Conduction band edge shift
• dye-sensitized solar cell
• lithium nitrate
• open circuit voltage

Acknowledgment

This work was supported by the Gyeongbuk Science & Technology Promotion Center (GBSP) grant funded by the Korea government (MEST) (GBSP-001-120705-01).