Exciton diffusion controlled quantum efficiency in hybrid dye sensitized solar cells.

Well-ordered and uniform titania nanoparticle arrays were synthesized using diblock copolymers as structure directing agents. High molecular weight copolymers of polystyrene-b-polyethylene oxide and poly(methylmethacrylate)-b-polyethylene oxide were used to control the distance between titania nanoparticles in the range of 20-60 nm. Using these titania nanoparticle arrays and regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene), models for a dye sensitized photovoltaic cell were assembled, in which the interparticle spacing was systematically varied. In these simplified solar cells, the titania nanocrystals were surrounded by a continuous regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) phase. The spacing between the ti…