Performance Evaluation of Titanate Nanotubes and Nanoribbons Deposited by Electrophoresis in Photoelectrodes of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

In this work, titanate nanotubes (NaTiNT) and nanoribbons, were obtained by the hydrothermal method from TiO2 anatase. These materials were deposited on conductive substrate by electrophoresis, with and without thermal treatment, sensitized by ruthenium-based dye and used as work electrode.

Exposing those photovoltaic devices to visible radiation, with films before thermal treatment, a short-circuit current density (JSC) of 0.0012 mA/cm2 was observed for the cell with NaTiNT, a current density of 0.0398 mA/cm2 for the cell with Nanoribbons, and a current density of 0.4028 mA/cm2 for the cell with TiO2 as electrode. After thermal treatment, a short-circuit current density of 0.4269 mA/cm2 was observed for the cell with NaTiNT, a current density of 0.0765 mA/cm2 for the Nanoribbons cell, and, finally, a current density of 0.3310 mA/cm2 for the cell with TiO2 as electrode.