Zinc Borosilicate Thick Films as a Ag-Protective Layer for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

A zinc borosilicate glass having a low softening temperature of $490^{\circ}C$ has been investigated as a protective layer for Ag patterns against chemical reactions with a $I^-/I_3^-$ electrolyte in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). A thick glass layer was prepared by the typical screen printing and firing processes to obtain a final thickness of ${\sim}5{\mu}m$. The chemical leaching performance of the glass layer in the electrolyte revealed that the reactive Ag pattern can be significantly protected by utilizing the low softening protective layer. The electrical resistance of the FTO-coated glass substrate was effectively maintained at a low value of ${\sim}27{\Omega}$ as long as the glass layer was well densified at a sufficiently high temperature of ${\sim}520^{\circ}C$. The transmittance of the layer was near 60%, depending on the firing temperature of the glass layer.