Working electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells
The working electrode of DSCs consists of a porous film of metal oxide nanocrystals that sits on a conducting glass substrate (glass coated with a thin layer of fluorine-doped tinoxide, FTO).
The metal oxides that we study are TiO2, ZnO and SnO2. These materials are transparent or white and don’t absorb visible light. Dye molecules attached on the large surface area of the porous film are responsible for absorption of sunlight. The metal oxides accept electrons from the excited dyes and transport them to the substrate.
In our research we study and optimize the charge transport and light absorption of the porous film and try to minimize loss reactions.