Oxide semiconductor electrode, dye-sensitized solar cell, and, method of producing the same

An oxide semiconductor electrode comprising:

• a base material;
• a bonding layer formed on the base material and made of a thermoplastic resin;
• a first electrode layer formed on the bonding layer and made of a metal oxide;
• and a porous layer formed on the first electrode layer and containing a fine particle of a metal oxide semiconductor,
• wherein the porous layer is constituted of an oxide semiconductor layer in contact with the first electrode layer and an intermediate layer formed on the oxide semiconductor layer with a higher porosity than that of the oxide semiconductor layer.

A method of producing a laminated body for an oxide semiconductor electrode, comprising processes of:

• a process of forming an intermediate layer-forming pattern, wherein an intermediate layer-forming coating material containing an organic material and a fine particle of a metal oxide semiconductor is applied to a heat-resistant substrate in a pattern and set to form an intermediate layer-forming pattern;
• a process of forming an oxide semiconductor layer-forming layer, wherein an oxide semiconductor layer-forming coating material, a solid of which has a higher concentration of the fine particle of a metal oxide semiconductor than that of a fine particle of a metal oxide semiconductor in a solid of the intermediate layer-forming coating material, is applied to the heat-resistant substrate and the intermediate layer-forming pattern and set to form an oxide semiconductor layer-forming layer;
• a sintering process, wherein the intermediate layer-forming pattern and the oxide semiconductor layer-forming layer are sintered to be a porous body respectively to form a porous intermediate layer and a porous oxide semiconductor layer;
• and a process of forming a first electrode layer, wherein a first electrode layer is formed on the oxide semiconductor layer.

A method of producing an oxide semiconductor electrode with a heat-resistant substrate, comprising processes of:

• a process of forming an intermediate layer-forming pattern, wherein an intermediate layer-forming coating material containing an organic material and a fine particle of a metal oxide semiconductor is applied to a heat-resistant substrate in a pattern and set to form an intermediate layer-forming pattern;
• a process of forming an oxide semiconductor layer-forming layer, wherein an oxide semiconductor layer-forming coating material, a solid of which has a higher concentration of a fine particle of a metal oxide semiconductor than that of a fine particle of a metal oxide semiconductor in a solid of the intermediate layer-forming coating material, is applied to the heat-resistant substrate and the intermediate layer-forming pattern, and set to form an oxide semiconductor layer-forming layer;
• a sintering process, wherein the intermediate layer-forming pattern and the oxide semiconductor layer-forming layer are sintered to be a porous body respectively to form a porous intermediate layer and a porous oxide semiconductor layer,
• wherein the processes are carried out to form an oxide semiconductor substrate, and to superpose the oxide semiconductor layer and the first electrode layer by using the oxide semiconductor substrate and an electrode base material provided with a base material and a first electrode layer.