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Double-sided transparent electrodes of TiO2 nanotube arrays for highly efficient CdS quantum dot-sensitized photoelectrodes

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Abstract

A novel double-sided CdS quantum dots-sensitized TiO2 nanotube (TNT)/ITO photoelectrode is fabricated to improve the energy conversion efficiencies of quantum dots-sensitized solar cells (QDSCs). Our experimental results show that the double-sided CdS quantum dots-sensitized TNT/ITO photoelectrodes show enhanced light absorption. As a consequence, the photoelectrochemical response of the CdS/TNT/ITO photoelectrode is much improved compared with single-sided CdS sensitized TNT arrays on Ti substrate (i.e., CdS/TNT/Ti photoelectrode). An optimum conversion efficiency of 7.5 % is achieved by the double-sided CdS(15)/TNT/ITO photoelectrode, which is an enhancement of about 120 % when compared with the single-sided CdS/TNT/Ti photoelectrode. Our results demonstrate that the energy conversion efficiencies of QDSCs can be improved by designing a new photoelectrode structure.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Henan University distinguished professor startup fund.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Henan Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic Materials, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, People’s Republic of China

    Chong Chen, Fumin Li, Guoqiang Li, Furui Tan, Shengjun Li & Lanyu Ling

  2. School of Physics and Electronics, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, People’s Republic of China

    Chong Chen, Fumin Li, Guoqiang Li, Furui Tan, Shengjun Li & Lanyu Ling

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  1. Chong Chen
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  2. Fumin Li
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  3. Guoqiang Li
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Correspondence to Chong Chen or Fumin Li.

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Chen, C., Li, F., Li, G. et al. Double-sided transparent electrodes of TiO2 nanotube arrays for highly efficient CdS quantum dot-sensitized photoelectrodes. J Mater Sci 49, 1868–1874 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-013-7875-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-013-7875-7

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