Dye-sensitized solar cells using network structure of electrospun ZnO nanofiber mats

Nanostructured semiconducting metal oxides and particularly nanofiber-based photoelectrodes can provide enhanced energy conversion efficiencies in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). In this study ZnO/poly(vinyl acetate) composite nanofiber mats were directly electrospun onto a glass substrate coated with F:SnO2, then hot pressed at 120°C and calcined at 450°C. This resulted in multiple nanofiber networks composed of a twisted structure of 200–500nm diameter cores with ∼30nm single grains. The DSSCs using ZnO nanofiber mats exhibited a conversion efficiency of 1.34% under 100mW∕cm2 (AM-1.5G) illumination.