文章信息

A trilaminar layer photoanode for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) was constructed using urchin-like TiO₂ hierarchical microspheres and P25. The top layer made of hierarchical microspheres enhanced light scattering; the middle layer consisting of P25 and as-prepared microspheres is a multifunctional layer for DSSCs, high adsorption ability to the dye, light scattering ability, and slow recombination rates coexistence; the bottom layer used P25. The DSSCs based on the photoanode with tripartite-layers structure exhibited a much higher short-circuit photocurrent density of 18.97 mA cm^-2 and energy conversion efficiency of 8.80%, which indicated a 36% increase in the conversion efficiency compared to those of the P25 electrode (14.51 mA cm(-2), 6.50%). The great improvements of photocurrent density and energy conversion efficiency for hierarchical TiO₂ microspheres were mainly attributed to a considerable surface area, a higher light scattering ability, and slower electron recombination rates for the former.