Mn Modified Mesoporous TiO2 Particles: Synthesis, Characterization and Photovoltaic Application

In this work, manganese (Mn) modified mesoporous titanium dioxide (Mn-MT) particles were synthesized by a hydrothermal process using an impregnation method and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as a template. This method enables synthesis at relatively low temperatures, with good surface modification resulting in ordered spherical particles. To verify the modifications in structural properties, x-ray diffraction (XRD) studies were carried out. A pure anatase phase was exhibited by both MT and Mn-MT particles. XRD patterns showed no evidence of secondary phase formation after surface modification with Mn. Optical studies of these particles were analysed by band gap studies. Both the optical and electron spin resonance studies revealed the presence of Mn in the 2+ state. Finally, these particles were coated on Si solar cells and exhibited an overall increase in efficiency of 15% when compared with bare cells, which can be attributed to better surface passivation.