TiO2/CuPc hybrid nanocomposites prepared by low-energy ball milling for dye-sensitized solar cell application

The hybrid nanocomposites of titanium dioxide nanoparticle (TNP) and copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) were successfully synthesized by low-energy ball milling as a main part of synthesis and processing via three different methods without additional heating. Structural properties of as-prepared composites were well characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy. TNP/CuPc hybrid nanocomposites acting as photocatalyst were used as a modified working electrode materials in dye-sensitized solar cells. Among all prepared conditions, the composite with 0.05 wt.% CuPc prepared by homogenization and ball milling process exhibited the best performance with optimized solar energy conversion efficiency of 1.24% with fill factor of 0.45. The significant enhancement of current density of the device may be associated to the decrease of recombination of photo-injected electrons and reduction of charge transfer resistances at the interface caused by the presence of CuPc on TNP matrix.