In situ infrared study of photo-generated electrons and adsorbed species on nitrogen-doped TiO2 in dye-sensitized solar cells

Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics : PCCP
Jiawei LiuSteven S C Chuang

Abstract

Charge transfer between adsorbed dyes and the TiO2 surface plays a key role in controlling the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The lack of understanding of charge transfer steps has hindered further development of DSSCs and many solar energy conversion devices/processes. In this study, we used in situ infrared spectroscopy to investigate electron transfer and photo-electric energy conversion processes at the interface, i.e., surface hydroxyls, adsorbed species, as well as the dynamics of photo-generated electrons in TiO2 and N-TiO2 in DSSCs. Nitrogen (N-) doping of TiO2 blocked linear OH, giving more hydrophobic surface characteristics than undoped TiO2. N-Doping further increased the electron-hole separation caused by solar light on the working electrode and the current density in the DSSC. In situ infrared (IR) studies revealed that N-doping facilitated the electron transfer from the N719 dye (di-tetrabutylammonium cis-bis(isothiocyanato)bis(2,2-bipyridyl-4,4-dicarboxylato)ruthenium(ii)) to the conduction band in TiO2, reducing the impedance in the DSSC. Probing N-TiO2 with adsorbed ethanol showed that shallow traps in N-TiO2 can be accessed by electrons from adsorbed ethanol. Electron transfer from the N719...Continue Reading

References

Jan 22, 2002·Physical Review Letters·R SchaubF Besenbacher
Jul 21, 2006·The Journal of Physical Chemistry. B·Alex N M GreenJames R Durrant
Jul 21, 2006·The Journal of Physical Chemistry. B·Qing WangMichael Grätzel
Aug 27, 2009·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Jin WangNianqiang Wu
Sep 1, 2009·Accounts of Chemical Research·Michael Grätzel
Jan 21, 2010·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Felipe Guzman, Steven S C Chuang
Jun 1, 2010·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Chieh-Chao YangGuido Mul
Nov 26, 2011·Nanoscale Research Letters·Peng XiangHongwei Han
Sep 23, 2014·Chemical Reviews·Jenny SchneiderDetlef W Bahnemann
Jan 17, 2015·ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces·Lei Zhang, Jacqueline M Cole
Apr 15, 2015·Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics : PCCP·Hieu H Pham, Lin-Wang Wang
Nov 5, 2015·Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics : PCCP·Brandon T YostAlan D Bristow
Mar 22, 2016·Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics : PCCP·R CisnerosF Lapicque

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Methods Mentioned

BETA
irradiating
light scattering
X-ray

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Cardiac Conduction System

The cardiac conduction system is a specialized tract of myocardial cells responsible for maintaining normal cardiac rhythm. Discover the latest research on the cardiac conduction system here.