Solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells made of multilayer nanocrystalline titania and poly(3-hexylthiophene)

Solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells have been made using nanocrystalline titania, a dye sensitizer and poly(3-hexylthiophene). The main issue in the construction of such cells is ensuring sufficient interface between the oxide and the organic phase. In the present work, improved results were obtained by employing multilayer nanocrystalline titania made of a bottom densely packed layer and a top open structure of varying thickness. The cells were assembled under ambient conditions using silver paste as counter electrode. Thus they were very easy and simple to make. Cells demonstrated a transient behavior characterized by increase in the open-circuit voltage and decrease in the short-circuit current.