ZnO microsheet modified TiO2 nanoparticle composite films for dye-sensitized solar cells

Randomly oriented ZnO microsheets were successfully self-assembled on TiO₂ nanoparticle (TN) film to act as the scattering layer via a cathodic electrodeposition process. The light scattering properties of ZnO microsheets were studied by UV-Vis spectrometer in the 400–800 nm wavelength range. It was found that ZnO microsheets exhibited excellent ability to scatter the incident light for ZnO microsheet-TiO₂ nanoparticle (ZT) composite films. The results showed that dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) fabricated with ZT composite films showed higher short-circuit density (J_sc) and conversion efficiency than TN-based DSSCs, due to the light scattering properties of ZnO microsheets.