Korean Chemical Engineering Research

The Korean Institute of Chemical Engineers (한국화학공학회)
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Improvement of Light-Harvesting Efficiency of TiO2 Granules Through Chemical Interconnection of Nanoparticles by Adding TEOT to Spray Solution

  • Lim, Mi Ja (Department of Chemical Engineering, Kongju National University) ;
  • Song, Shin Ae (Micro Manufacturing System Technology Center, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology) ;
  • Kang, Yun Chan (Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea University) ;
  • So, Won-Wook (Energy Materials Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology) ;
  • Jung, Kyeong Youl (Department of Chemical Engineering, Kongju National University)
  • Received : 2015.03.13
  • Accepted : 2015.03.27
  • Published : 2015.10.01
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Abstract

Mesoporous $TiO_2$ granules were prepared by spray pyrolysis using nano-sized titania particles which were synthesized by a hydrothermal method, and they were evaluated as the photoanode of dye-sensitized solar cells. To enhance the cell efficiency, nanoparticles within granules were chemically interconnected by adding titanium ethoxide (TEOT) to colloidal spray solution. The resulting titania particles had anatase phase without forming rutile. $TiO_2$ granules obtained showed about 400 nm in size, the specific surface area of $74-77m^2/g$, and average pore size of 13-17 nm. The chemical modification of $TiO_2$ granules by adding TEOT initially to the colloidal spray solution was proved to be an effective way in terms of increasing both the light scattering within photoanode and the lifetimes of photo-excited electrons. Consequently, the light-harvesting efficiency of TEOT-modified granules (${\eta}=6.72%$) was enhanced about 14% higher than primitive nanoparticles.

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References

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