Screening the photoelectrochemical activity of dyes on TiO₂ surfaces is becoming increasingly relevant as industry tries to expand commercialisation of dye-sensitised solar cells (DSSCs).

NPL's Electrochemistry group has demonstrated how an adapted version of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) together with photoexcitation of dispensed arrays of dye spots can be used as a powerful yet low-cost screening method.

Instead of the conventional four-electrode approach, NPL proposed an innovative two-electrode configuration that mimics a real DSSC in operation. This simplifies the required instrumentation (no bipotentiostat or reference/auxiliary electrodes), reducing costs and enabling its potential use in industry.

A paper, authored by William Kylberg, Andy Wain and Fernando Castro, in The Journal of Physical Chemistry C outlines the research.

For further information, please contact Fernando Castro