Photovoltaic Efficiencies on Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Assembled with Graphene-Linked TiO2 Anode Films

To promote the photoelectric conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), graphene is introduced as a working electrode with $TiO_2$ in this study, because it has great transparency and very good conductivity. XRD patterns indicate the presence of graphene and $TiO_2$ particles in graphene-linked $TiO_2$ samples. Moreover, TEM pictures also show that the nano-sized $TiO_2$ particles are highly dispersed and well-linked onto the thin layered graphene. On the basis of the UV-visible spectra, the band gaps of $TiO_2$, 1.0 wt % graphene-$TiO_2$, 5.0 wt % graphene-$TiO_2$, and 10.0 wt % graphene-$TiO_2$ are 3.16, 2.94, 2.25, and 2.11 eV, respectively. Compared to pure $TiO_2$, the energy conversion efficiency was enhanced considerably by the application of graphene-linked $TiO_2$ anode films in the DSSCs to approximately 6.05% for 0.1 wt % graphene-$TiO_2$ with N719 dye (10.0 mm film thickness and $5.0mm{\times}5.0mm$ cell area) under $100mW/cm^2$ of simulated sunlight. The quantum efficiency was the highest when 1.0 wt % of graphene was used. In impedance curves, the resistance was smallest for 1.0 wt % graphene-$TiO_2$-DSSC.