Three families of linear shaped TiO2 anatase nanocrystals with variable aspect ratio (4, 8, 16) and two sets of branched TiO2 anatase nanocrystals (in the form of open-framework sheaf-like nanorods and compact braid-like nanorod bundles, respectively) were employed to fabricate high-quality mesoporous photoelectrodes and then implemented into dye-sensitized solar cells to elucidate the intrinsic correlation holding between the photovoltaic performances and the structure of the nanocrystal building blocks. To this aim, the chemical capacitance and the charge-transfer resistance of the photoelectrodes were extrapolated from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements and used to draw a quantitative energy diagram of the dye-sensitized solar cells realized, on the basis of which their photovoltaic performances have been discussed. It has thus been revealed that photoanodes made from braid-like branched-nanorod bundles exhibited the most favorable conditions to minimize recombination at the interface with the electrolyte due to their deep distribution of trap states, whereas linear-shaped nanorods with higher aspect-ratios result in more remarkable downshift of the conduction band edge.

Electrochemical Assessment of the Band-Edge Positioning in Shape-Tailored TiO2-Nanorod-Based Photoelectrodes for Dye Solar Cells

De Marco L;Cozzoli P D;Gigli G
2013

Abstract

Three families of linear shaped TiO2 anatase nanocrystals with variable aspect ratio (4, 8, 16) and two sets of branched TiO2 anatase nanocrystals (in the form of open-framework sheaf-like nanorods and compact braid-like nanorod bundles, respectively) were employed to fabricate high-quality mesoporous photoelectrodes and then implemented into dye-sensitized solar cells to elucidate the intrinsic correlation holding between the photovoltaic performances and the structure of the nanocrystal building blocks. To this aim, the chemical capacitance and the charge-transfer resistance of the photoelectrodes were extrapolated from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements and used to draw a quantitative energy diagram of the dye-sensitized solar cells realized, on the basis of which their photovoltaic performances have been discussed. It has thus been revealed that photoanodes made from braid-like branched-nanorod bundles exhibited the most favorable conditions to minimize recombination at the interface with the electrolyte due to their deep distribution of trap states, whereas linear-shaped nanorods with higher aspect-ratios result in more remarkable downshift of the conduction band edge.
2013
Istituto Nanoscienze - NANO
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14243/214483
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