In: Chemistry
DYE-SENSITIZED TIO2 SOLAR CELL
3) What is one advantage of using titanium dioxide powder rather than a sheet of titanium dioxide?
In dye-sensitized solar cells conversion of light into electrons takes place. Sensitized wide band gap semiconductors such as TiO2 are used in these solar cells which leads to high chemical stability of cell due to photocorrosion. TiO2 is most widely used semiconductor in these solar cells because it is a strong oxidizing agent, non-toxic and have high chemical and thermal stability.
On increasing the size of a particle the number of particles increases and the smaller particles result in increase of rate of a reaction because the surface area has been increased. Similar is the case with powdered and sheet titanium dioxide. The powdered TiO2 provides larger surface area for adsorption, so it will increase the amount of dye adsorbed which further leads to increase in amount of light absorbed.
Thus powdered TiO2 has an advantage over sheet TiO2 that is why in dye sensitized solar cells powder TiO2 is used. (Nowadays TiO2 is used in nanometer sized powder).