Efficient dye-sensitized solar cells using electrospun $TiO2$ nanofibers as a light harvesting layer

Titanium dioxide $(TiO2)$ nanofibers were fabricated directly onto thick nanoparticle electrodes by using electrospinning and sol-gel techniques. After calcination, the anatase $TiO2$ nanofibers obtained exhibited a one-dimensional structure of high crystallinity and average diameter of $∼250nm$⁠. Dye (N719) sensitized photoelectrochemical cells comprised of a nanoparticle/nanofiber electrode were fabricated. An IPCE of 85% at the wavelength of $540nm$ with conversion efficiencies of 8.14% and 10.3% (for areas of 0.25 and $0.052cm2$⁠, respectively) were obtained under 1.5 AM $(100mW∕cm2)$ illumination.