Effect of hot-pressing on an electrospun TiO2 electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

A hot-pressing process is shown to enhance the adhesion of TiO2 nanofibers electrospun onto fluorine-doped tin oxide substrates for use in dyesensitized solar cells. By using the resulting electrochemical impedance spectroscopic characteristics, the application of 7, 14, and 21MPa of pressure was found to result in calculated lifetimes of 7.48, 15.13, and 13.74 ms, respectively. From the results of a thermogravimetric analysis, a stepped heat treatment was developed for calcination of the hot-pressed TiO2 electrodes. Hot-pressing at 14MPa and 100 °C yielded the dyesensitized solar cell with the highest energy conversion efficiency. © 2014 The Japan Society of Applied Physics.