• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.7-16
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• 2005

Dye-sensitized solar cells(DSSCs) have been under investigation for the past decade due to their attractive features such as high energy conversion efficiency and low production costs. The basis for energy conversion in the injection of electrons from a photoexcited stateof a dye sensitizer into the conduction band of the nanocrystalline $TiO_2$ semiconductor upon absorption of light. It is believed that the DSSC is one of the most promising technologies to solve the significant energy problems. In this article, the development trends and perspective of DSSCs were reviewed.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.81-84
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• 2010

In dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), the back transfer of photo-generated electrons from FTO glass to triiodide ions in an electrolyte is an important loss mechanism, which leads to low cell efficiency. Recently, this back electron transfer was greatly suppressed by the introduction of a compact $TiO_2$ blocking layer, which was prepared by the treatment of $TiCl_4$ solution. In the present work, more detailed $TiCl_4$ treated surface conditions on FTO substrate were investigated and DSSC performances were correlated with the surface morphology as well as dark current behavior.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.06a
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• pp.360-361
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• 2008

A new kind of SBM co-polymer binder as styrene, n-butyl acrylate, and methacrylic acid (SBM) monodisperse co-polymer binder materials basted on $TiO_2$ pastes was synthesized and this $TiO_2$ pastes were applied of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The SBM co-polymer binder was prepared by soap-free emulsion copolymerization using a PEG-EEM macromonomer. The photoanodes were characterized by morphology investigated from field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The photoelectrochemical properties of the thin films and the performance of DSSCs were measured by photovoltaic-current density. DSSC based on the emulsion co-polymer binder was obtained conversion efficiency of 7.1% under irradiation of AM 1.5($100mWcm^{-2}$).

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.427-431
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• 2011

Hybrid $SiO_2-TiO_2$ photoelectrode with different type of layers was investigated in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). Use of a thin layer of nanocrystalline $TiO_2$ would imply reduction in the amount of dye coverage, however, lower amount of dye in the thin films would imply fewer electron generation upon illumination. So, thus, it becomes necessary to include a $SiO_2-TiO_2$ layer for increase light harvesting effect such that the lower photon conversion due to thin layer could be compensated. In this paper reports the use of transparent high surface area $TiO_2$ layer and an additional $SiO_2-TiO_2$ layer, thus ensuring adequate light harvesting in these devices. The best solar conversion efficiency 6.6% under AM 1.5 was attained with a multi-layer structure using $TiO_2$ layer/$SiO_2-TiO_2$ layer/$TiO_2$ layer for the light harvesting and this had resulted to about 44% increase in photocurrent density of dye-sensitized solar cells.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2014

In this work, according to temperature and time of hydrothermal synthesis, the electrochemical properties of $TiO_2$ particle using TTIP based on changing temperature and time in the hydrothermal synthesis were analyzed and optimized temperature and time were derived. When hydrothermal synthesis temperature and time were $200^{\circ}C$ and 1 h, respectively. The fabricated DSSC delivered the best electrochemical properties. In that case, $TiO_2$ particle size was 13.08 nm, electron transport time was $2.34{\times}10^{-3}s$ and recombination time was $4.01{\times}10^{-2}s$. The lowest impedance of $13.52{\Omega}$ and Voc, Jsc, FF is 0.70 V, $1.50mAcm^{-2}$, 65.62%, respectively and corresponding efficiency of 5.34% was considered as the optimal.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.380-383
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• 2015

We prepared the $TiO_2$ layer with 0 ~ 4 wt% of polystyrene (PS) beads having a radius of 250 nm to increase the dye adsorption and energy conversion efficiency (ECE) of a dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC). Then, we fabricated DSSCs using $0.45cm^2$ active area. FE-SEM was used to characterize the microstructure consisting of $TiO_2$ layer and PS beads. UV-VIS-NIR was used to determine the optical absorbance of working electrodes (WEs). Solar simulator and potentiostat were used to determine the photovoltaic properties. We observed that pores having a radius of 250 nm were formed with the density of $0.15ea/{\mu}m^2$ in $TiO_2$ layers after conducting the sintering process. The absorbance in visible light regime was found to increase with the increase in the amount of PS beads. The ECE increased from 4.66% to 5.25% when the amount of PS beads was increased from 0 to 4 wt%. This is because the pores of PS beads increased the adsorption of dye. Our results indicate that the ECE of the DSSCs can be enhanced by the addition of an appropriate amount of PS beads into $TiO_2$ layers.

• International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing-Green Technology
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.643-650
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• 2018

A self-powered electrochromic device was fabricated on an indium tin oxide-polyethylene naphthalate flexible substrate using a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) as a self-harvesting source; the electrochromic device was naturally bleached and operated under outdoor light conditions. The color of the organic electrochromic polymer, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate, was shifted from pale blue to deep blue with an antimony tin oxide film as a charge-balanced material. Electrochromic performance was enhanced by secondary doping using dimethyl sulfoxide. As a result, the device showed stable switching behavior with a high transmittance change difference of 40% at its specific wavelength of 630 nm for 6 hrs. To improve the efficiency of the solar cell, 1.0 wt.% of Ag NWs in the photoanode was applied to the $TiO_2$ photoanode. It resulted in an efficiency of 3.3%, leading to an operating voltage of 0.7 V under xenon lamp conditions. As a result, we built a standalone self-harvesting electrochromic system with the performance of transmittance switching of 29% at 630 nm, by connecting with two solar cells in a device. Thus, a self-harvesting and flexible device was fabricated to operate automatically under the irradiated/dark conditions.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.11a
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• pp.50.2-50.2
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• 2011

염료감응형 태양전지는 기존의 실리콘 태양전지에 비해 저렴한 가격과 다양한 날씨 조건에서도 태양광과의 반응성이 안정하다는 여러 가지 장점을 갖고 있다. 하지만 광전 변환 효율이 기존의 실리콘 태양전지에 비해 현저히 떨어진다는 문제점과 장기적으로 안정하지 못하다는 단점을 가지고 있다. 이러한, 염료감응형 태양전지에서 크게 광전 변환 효율을 향상시킬 수 있는 재료는 염료, $TiO_2$와 같은 반도체 산화물전극 재료, 전해질이다. 이 중 $TiO_2$의 특성 및 크기는 염료감응형 태양전지의 효율에 영향을 미친다. 염료감응형 태양전지의 광전 변환 효율을 증가시키기 위해서 $TiO_2$는 넓은 비표면적, 높은 전자의 이동성 및 태양광과의 우수한 반응성을 가져야 한다. Microwave hydrothermal 방법에 의해 제조된 hollow $TiO_2$를 염료감응형 태양전지에 적용시킬 경우 기존의 $TiO_2$의 광흡수 반응이 200~400 nm 사이에서 발생하는 반면, hollow $TiO_2$의 광흡수 반응은 기존의 UV 영역인 200~400 nm 뿐만 아니라 가시광 영역인 400~460 nm 에서도 광흡수 반응이 가능하기 때문에 염료감응형 태양전지에서 광전 변환효율을 증가 시킬 수 있을 것으로 기대된다. 또한, microwave hydrothermal법에 의해 제조된 hollow $TiO_2$는 150-200 nm의 크기를 갖으며 20-30 nm 크기의 $TiO_2$ particle들로 이루어져 있다. hollow $TiO_2$ (150-200 nm)를 기존의 $TiO_2$ (10-20 nm) 층 위에 올려 염료감응형 태양전지의 electrode에 적용할 경우 기존의 $TiO_2$ 단층을 이용한 것보다 우수한 light-scattering 효과를 갖게 되어 광전 변환 효율 증가에 긍정적인 영향을 미칠 것이다. 본 연구에서는 hollow $TiO_2$의 광학적 특성 및 결정성이 염료감응형 태양전지에 미치는 영향을 조사하였다. hollow $TiO_2$의 광학적 특성 및 결정성의 변화를 위하여 microwave hydrothermal 법의 합성 온도 및 합성시간에 변화를 주었다. hollow $TiO_2$의 광학적 특성은 UV-visible spectrometer를 이용하여 조사하였으며, hollow $TiO_2$의 형상과 결정학적 특성은 TEM과 SEM 그리고 X선 회절 분석을 이용하여 관찰되었고, hollow $TiO_2$의 비표면적 측정은 BET 측정법을 이용하였다. 또한 염료감응형 태양전지 cell을 제작하여 $100mW/cm^2$(AM 1.5G) 기준에서 광전 변환 효율을 측정하였다.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.75.1-75.1
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• 2010

Dye sensitized solar cells(DSSCs) have been extensively studied due to their various advantages such as low production cost, colorful design, and eco-friendly process. Long optical path length is one of the most effective method to improve light harvest efficiency for DSSCs. Multi-layered $TiO_2$ nano-structured film with scattering layer has been studied to generate scattering effect by many researchers. It was expected that the difference of refractive index between $TiO_2$ particles and glass frit would generate the light scattering effect and provide the long optical path length. Therefore, to enhance the scattering effect, the frits of $Bi_2O_3-B_2O_3$-ZnO glass system that has the different refractive index were added to $TiO_2$ pastes in this study. First of all, the absorbance and haze factor of $TiO_2$ electrode with dyes and the refractive index of glass frit and $TiO_2$ were measured, respectively. To study the effect of frits, the efficiencies of DSSCs added glass frit and without glass frit were compared. Our results showed slightly higher efficiency with the different absorbance and haze factor of $TiO_2$ and glass frit. It was considered that the light scattering effect would be improved with adding frits to $TiO_2$ paste. Our preliminary studies will be useful for increasing efficiency of DSSCs.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.10
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• pp.3355-3360
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• 2012

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.