Metal oxide-encapsulated dye-sensitized photoanodes for dye-sensitized solar cells

摘要

Dye-sensitized semiconducting metal oxide films for photoanodes, photoanodes incorporating the films and DSCs incorporating the photoanodes are provided. Also provided are methods for making the dye sensitized semiconducting metal oxide films. The methods of making the films are based on the deposition of an encapsulating layer of a semiconducting metal oxide around the molecular anchoring groups of photosensitizing dye molecules adsorbed to a porous film of the semiconducting metal oxide. The encapsulating layer of semiconducting metal oxide is formed in such a way that it is not coated over the chromophores of the adsorbed dye molecules and, therefore, allows the dye molecules to remain electrochemically addressable.

主权项

1. A dye-sensitized semiconducting metal oxide film comprising:
(a) a porous film comprising a semiconducting metal oxide, the porous film having a surface; (b) photosensitizing dye molecules adsorbed directly onto the surface of the porous film, each of the photosensitizing dye molecules comprising a chromophore and a molecular anchoring group, wherein the molecular anchoring group of the each of the photosensitizing dye molecules attaches the chromophore of the each of the photosensitizing dye molecules to the porous film; and (c) an encapsulating layer on the surface of the porous film, the encapsulating layer comprising the semiconducting, metal oxide, wherein the encapsulating layer at least partially encapsulates the molecular anchoring group of the each of the photosensitizing dye molecules, but does not cover chromophore of the each of the photosensitizing dye molecules the.