Size Control of Particles with Changing Concentration of TIP used as a Precursor for Synthesis of TiO₂ by Ultra-Sonic Spray and Pyrolysis Method

Abstract

The nano sized titanium dioxide was synthesized by the ultra-sonic spray method and pyrolysis of TIP (titanium iso-propoxide), which was employed as the precursor solution. The fine liquid drop of the TIP sprayed by the ultra-sonic spray nozzle was conversed into TiO₂ nano particles by pyrolysis through the hot tubular reactor. The concentration of TIP solution was controlled in the range of 0.1∼1.0 M and the morphology, the particle size, the crystal structure, and the surface area of synthesized TiO₂ were investigated by SEM, TEM, XRD and N₂-adsorption method, respectively. DSSC (dye sensitized solar cells) was also prepared by employing the synthesized TiO₂ nano powder as the electrode and the photo-electrical property of TiO₂ was compared in terms of efficiency of solar cells. It was further confirmed that the particle size of TiO₂ was controlled with changing concentration of TIP solution. When 0.1 M TIP was used as the precursor solution, the size, the surface area and the crystal structure of synthesized TiO₂ were approximately 10 nm (by TEM), 56 m²/g and the anatase structure, respectively. The particle size of TiO₂ decreased with decreasing concentration of TIP solution. Therefore, it was concluded that the efficiency of DSSC's can be improved by employing high surface area and nano-sized TiO₂ as the electrode.

Keywords:

• TiO₂
• ultra sonic spray method
• DSSCs
• electrode

Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the 2011 Yeungnam University Research Grant and the Human Resources Development Program of Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP) grant (No 20104010100580) funded by the Korean Ministry of Knowledge Economy.