Double-shell CeO2@TiO2 hollow spheres composites with enhanced light harvesting and electron transfer in dye-sensitized solar cells

A new double-shell hollow structured material with high light harvesting and dye loading level for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were synthesized via a one-pot hydrothermal method . When coated with TiO 2 shell, a hybrid double-shell CeO 2 @TiO 2 hollow sphere (D-CeO 2 @TiO 2 ) was performed as scattering layer in dye-sensitized solar cells, which further increase conversion efficiency from 5.27% of bare TiO 2 electrode to 7.95%. The enhancement is due to the high dye loading capacity of double shell CeO 2 hollow spheres core and high electron transport capacity of TiO 2 shell. Our work provides a feasible strategy for preparing multi-shell hollow spheres as scattering layers for high performance solar cells.