Porosity Control in Titanium Dioxide Thin Films Through Low Temperature Block Copolymer Annealing

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Publication Type honors thesis
School or College College of Engineering
Department Chemical Engineering
Faculty Mentor Luisa Whittaker-Brooks
Creator Galvez, Heilly
Title Porosity Control in Titanium Dioxide Thin Films Through Low Temperature Block Copolymer Annealing
Date 2019
Description Perovskite solar cells have gained popularity in recent years due to their simplicity in manufacturing. The aim of this work is to provide a direct means to increase perovskite solar cell efficiency by increasing the contact surface area between the perovskite and the electron-transfer material (ETM). The first stage of the project is a study on the creation of a mesoporous layer of TiO2 to serve as the electron transfer layer of a solar cell. Lead halide perovskites are the materials to be added onto this layer as the light harvesting component of the cell. The layer of TiO2 is made porous in order to increase the contact area with the perovskite, which increases the device's electron transfer. Pores in the TiO2 are created by mixing TiO2 paste with block-copolymers of different molecular weights, that when annealed at high temperatures, will etch away leaving nanopores behind. The second half consists of the microscopic characterization of these TiO2 surfaces, and correlation of changes in the device manufacturing process that to ETM porosity. We were able to successfully and consistently decrease the average pore radius by 84%.
Type Text
Publisher University of Utah
Language eng
Rights Management (c) Heilly Gálvez
Format Medium application/pdf
Permissions Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s66m8wsp
ARK ark:/87278/s6rg1j1m
Setname ir_htoa
ID 1588394
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6rg1j1m
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