Nitrogen doped TiO2/Graphene nanofibers as DSSCs photoanode

Photoanode optimization of the dye-sensitized solar cell is a crucial part of its performance improvement. In this study, graphene-containing TiO2 nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning, and the nitrogen element was doped via the hydrothermal method. After that, a nitrogen-graphene co-doped TiO2 nanofiber photoanode was prepared using a doctor blade coating process. Micromorphological characterization revealed that nitrogen and graphene were successfully doped into composite nanofibers with favorable morphology and distribution. Ultraviolet-visible light spectroscopy and monochromatic light conversion efficiency data demonstrated that the doping of nitrogen enhanced the cell's response to sunlight. The J-V curve was obtained under solar simulation, and the conversion efficiency of 5.01% was reached, which was 26% higher than that of undoped. Therefore, the co-doped composite fiber makes a promising prospect for further applications.