Nanostructured TiO2 photoanode prepared through sonication of P-25/sol-gel for dye-sensitized

Nanocrystalline anatase TiO₂ photoanode have been prepared by mixing the commercial titania powder P-25 with a titanium alkoxide sol. The paste was further sonicated as to improve the mixing condition. It was then deposited on ITO-coated glass substrate having 10Ω/sq by means of doctor blade technique. Two monolayer photoanodes with sonicated and un-sonicated TiO₂ paste of about the same thickness have been prepared and their effects on the overall cell performances of the DSSC were compared. The solar energy conversion efficiency (η) of 0.2423% under AM 1.5 was attained with the sonicated photoanode DSSC which correspond to the short-circuit photocurrent density (J_SC) and open-circuit voltage (V_OC) of 0.9716 mA/cm2 and 0.4377 V, respectively, while 0.2269% conversion efficiency (η) obtained from un-sonicated photoanode. The sonicated films were efficiently incorporated in the fabrication process of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), where almost 7.2 % improvement on the overall energy conversion efficiency (η) was achieved.