Abstract
Although of intensive research on dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), a simultaneous increase in both the short-circuit photocurrent density as well as open-circuit photovoltage of cells has thus far proven impossible. Using hybrid electrodes of Li0.02Ni0.98O-TiO2 composite particles prepared by sol-gel method, we explore a bi-functional mechanism of Li in suspending electron-hole recombination and reducing electrical resistivity of the electrode. The power conversion efficiency of DSSC with the proposed Li0.02Ni0.98O-TiO2 hybrid electrode (3.80%) exceeds that of typical DSSC with a TiO2 (P-25) electrode (2.89%). Interesting, the fill factor of DSSC with this hybrid electrode (64%) substantially exceeds that of the typical DSSC (48%).