Highly efficient indoline dyes co-sensitized solar cells composed of titania nanorods

Abstract Highly crystalline titania nanorods were prepared from H 2 Ti 3 O 7 nanotubes precursor and then used as the photoanode for indoline dyes sensitized solar cells. The cells sensitized by D131, D102 and D149 dyes exhibited the efficiencies of 4.63%, 4.56% and 5.47%, respectively. Interestingly, the photovoltaic properties can be enhanced significantly when the mixed dye was used as a sensitizer. The best efficiency of 7.30% was obtained using the mixed dye of D131 and D149 as a sensitizer. This result might be ascribed to the increased light-harvesting, prolonged electron lifetime and inhibited interfacial charge recombination.