Dye-sensitized solar cells with nanoporous TiO sub(2) photoanodes sintered by N sub(2) and air atmospheric pressure plasma jets with/without air-quenching

• Published in: Journal of power sources Vol. 251; pp. 215 - 221
• Main Authors: Chang, Haoming, Hsu, Chun-Ming, Kao, Peng-Kai, Yang, Yao-Jhen, Hsu, Cheng-Che, Cheng, I-Chun, Chen, Jian-Zhang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-01-2014
• Subjects: Atmospheric pressure; Barometric pressure; Dyes; Nanostructure; Photovoltaic cells; Sintering; Solar cells; Titanium dioxide
• ISSN: 0378-7753
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2013.11.051

We investigate dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) with TiO sub(2) photoanodes sintered by N sub(2) and air atmospheric pressure plasma jets (APPJs) with/without air-quenching. Air-quenching reduces the APPJ temperature from ~500 [degrees]C to ~300 [degrees]C; however, it accelerates the removal of organic solvents and the TiO sub(2) sintering process. N sub(2) APPJ with air-quenching and air APPJ with/without air-quenching can complete the sintering process in an ultra-short time (30 s); the assembled cells show efficiencies comparable to those of cells fabricated using conventional furnace process. The presence of excited nitrogen plasmas and oxygen gas is critical to the rapid sintering process of nanoporous TiO sub(2) photoanodes at a lower temperature (~300 [degrees]C). This air-quenched APPJ may be applied to the sintering process on lower-melting-point flexible substrate, which facilitates the future application to roll-to-roll process.