Nanoparticles influence on dye-sensitized solar cells based on TiO2

Today, Solar cell technology is in limited use due to the relatively high manufacturing cost of silicon based technology, And the low power efficiency of organic polymer based technology. However, Research is being done on hybrid cells based on dye-sensitizing organic polymers and a thin transparent conducting oxide layer comprised of nanoparticles. These cells could offer the same ease of manufacturing as organic cells, with improved efficiency. Currently, although the improved efficiency is promising, It is still far below silicon based solar cells. The nanotubes clearly show longer response times, Which correlate to longer electron lifetimes, Which means less recombination of electron-hole pairs. This will ultimately translate to higher energy output. This paper will explore the role of nanomaterials in this flexible solar cell technology. A discussion on current efforts to improve efficiency will follow.