Enhanced dye-sensitized solar cell using graphene-TiO2 photoanode prepared by heterogeneous coagulation

In this study, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) were fabricated using graphene-TiO2 composite photoanodes. The graphene-TiO2 nanocomposites were prepared using the heterogeneous coagulation between Nafion-coated graphene and commercial TiO2 (P25) nanoparticles, which ensured a tight interfacial binding between them. The DSSC incorporating 0.5 wt % graphene in the TiO2 photoanode demonstrates a power conversion efficiency of 4.28%, which is 59% higher than that without graphene. It was found that the incorporated graphene caused both increased dye adsorption and significant longer electron lifetime. Graphene has been proven to be an attractive candidate for improving the performance of DSSC.