Abstract
To improve the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) by controlling dye adsorption on TiO2 surface, the effect of surface treatments on the properties of [NBu4]2[Ru(Htcterpy)(NCS)3] (black dye; [NBu4]: tetrabutylammonium cation; H3tcterpy: 4,4',4''-tricarboxy-2,2':6',2''-terpyridine) on nanocrystalline TiO2 films was investigated by analysis of the photovoltaic performance and the electron transport properties. Although the surface treatments do not affect on the condition band edge of TiO2, the amount of dye on TiO2 increases. The enhancement of dye adsorption by treatment of TiO2 in HCl solution is more effective than that by dipping the dye solution containing deoxycholic acid (DCA) as additive. But the charge recombination between an electron in TiO2 and I3- in the electrolyte can be reduced by the DCA treatment.