Formation and Characterization of TiO₂ Scattering Layer Deposited by Spray Pyrolysis for DSSC

In this paper the TiO2 nanoparticle for scattering layers were prepared using hydrolytic and non-hydrolytic sol gel route. The TiO2 nanoparticles by hydrolytic sol gel were prepare by adding 5 ml of titanium (IV) isopropanol (TTIP) with 15 ml isopropanol. Then this TTIP mixture was added dropwise into 250 ml water with adjusted pH to 3 using nitric acids. For non-hydrolytic sol gel route 12 gram of acetylacetone, 12 gram of TTIP and 16 gram of ethanol anhydrous were mixed in a beaker under vigorous stirring. Then the prepared TiO2 nanoparticles solutions were deposited onto TiO2 mesoporous layer via spray pyrolysis and assemble into complete solar cell. From the XRD (X-ray diffraction) results show that the phase of TiO2 nanoparticles formed by hydrolytic sol gel route was amorphous and for non-hydrolytic route the phase formed was mixture of anatase and rutile. The efficiency of the solar cell shows that scattering layer prepare by hydrolytic route give higher efficiency, 6.0 x 10-5 %, as compare to scattering layer prepare by non-hydrolytic route, 4.9 x 10-5 %.