Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell with Ordered Tin Oxide Composite Nanostructure Electrodes

Abstract

A dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) is provided, made from an anode layer of tin oxide (SnO2) coated titanium oxide (TiO2) nanostructures that overlie a substrate top surface. A dye overlies the anode layer, and a cathode overlies the dye. The cathode may be a hole conducting layer having a solid state phase or a redox electrolyte, with a counter electrode. The TiO2 nanostructures may be TiO2 nanoparticles, TiO2 nanowires, or TiO2 nanotubes. In the case of TiO2 nanowires or TiO2 nanotubes, their center axes are perpendicular to the substrate top surface. Regardless of the TiO2 nanostructure morphology, the SnO2 coating thickness is in the range of 2 to 10 nanometers (nm). In one aspect, the SnO2 coated TiO2 nanostructures have a dielectric layer shell, which may have a thickness in the range of 0.3 to 2 nm.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.