Optimization of Device Parameters for Back‐Contact Transparent Conductive Oxide–Less Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells Fabrication

Abstract

Transparent conductive oxide–less (TCO‐less) dye‐sensitized solar cell (DSSC) has been constructed and characterized employing mesoporous TiO2‐coated stainless‐steel mesh (S‐S‐mesh or Mesh) as a bendable photoanode and iodine‐based redox electrolyte. Efforts have been directed toward optimizing electronic parameters to enhance the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of TCO‐less DSSC to equalize its TCO‐based DSSC counterpart. It is found that protection of Mesh is essential for increasing the PCE of TCO‐less DSSCs employing iodine electrolyte as assured by suppressed reverse saturation current and better diode factor. The PCE of 5.6% is obtained with TCO‐less DSSC compared with TCO‐based DSSC with PCE of 6.09%. A bit of decrease in PCE with TCO‐less DSSC is due to larger resistance in TiO2/dye/electrolyte as well as within electrolyte as evident by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) study owing to the Mesh having perforated holes and larger thickness of electrolyte absorbing sheet of the porous polytetrafluoroethylene film (35 μm) compared to TCO‐based DSSC without any barriers and lower electrolyte layer thickness of 25 μm.