Effect of acetic acid in TiO2 paste on the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells

Nanocrystalline TiO2 films are considered as the most suitable photoelectrode for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). In the synthesis of TiO2 paste, the effect of acetic acid on the properties of TiO2 electrodes was investigated. The amount of acetic acid in the TiO2 paste was varied from 1 mL to 30 mL. The synthesized TiO2 pastes were deposited on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass by doctor-blade method. The pore size was about 67.2 nm and pore volume was 79.34%. Photovoltaic measurements showed that the DSSC efficiency is limited by certain acetic acid content.