Device Engineering for Efficient Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

Device Engineering for Efficient Dye-sensitized Solar Cells PDF Author: George Yan Margulis
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) offer a variety of advantages to typical silicon and thin film solar cells. And while the advantages of ease-of-processing and fabrication from low-cost, earth-abundant materials make DSCs an attractive technology, the efficiency of DSCs (13%) is still too low to compete with the current inorganic incumbents. Hence, new 'outside-of-the-box' strategies must be used to render DSCs competitive with current commercial technologies. This thesis describes my work on identifying losses in DSCs and 2 strategies to improve the efficiency of DSCs: the use of highly-soluble energy relay days to broaden the spectral response of DSCs, and the fabrication of semi-transparent solid-state DSCs to help improve the efficiency of inorganic devices in a tandem solar cell. Solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (ssDSCs) have historically lagged behind their liquid-electrolyte counterparts in efficiency. To gain a better understanding of why this is so, we have developed accurate internal quantum efficiency (IQE) measurements for ssDSCs. By analyzing the IQE, it is found that while charge collection is efficient in ssDSCs, often charge injection is not. This analysis also shows that parasitic absorption by the Spiro-OMeTAD is an important loss mechanism in ssDSCs and suggests that stronger absorbing sensitizers are the most promising path to higher efficiencies. In DSCs, the roles of absorbing light, injecting charge, and blocking recombination are all given to the sensitizing dye, resulting in a myriad of design rules for DSC sensitizers. An energy relay dye (ERD) is a second dye that helps relax these design rules by providing complementary absorption and then transferring energy to a sensitizing dye. However, such ERDs come with their own design rules, including the need for high solubility for full light absorption, and high photoluminescence for efficient energy transfer. We have designed and synthesized two such dyes, and characterized them as ERDs in DSCs, yielding a 65% increase in efficiency. Finally, even if DSCs are unable to reach efficiencies that render them competitive against traditional inorganic solar cells, DSCs can be used in conjunction with an inorganic solar cell in a hybrid tandem photovoltaic (HTPV). High open-circuit voltages and cheap processing render DSCs attractive top cells in HTPVs, and such devices can exceed efficiencies of 20%. However, in order to be used in HTPVs, a DSC must be fabricated such that below bandgap light can pass through the device and be absorbed by the inorganic bottom cell. Toward that end, we have developed a transparent top contact for solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells that renders ssDSCs attractive candidates for HTPVs.

Device Engineering for Efficient Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

Device Engineering for Efficient Dye-sensitized Solar Cells PDF Author: George Yan Margulis
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) offer a variety of advantages to typical silicon and thin film solar cells. And while the advantages of ease-of-processing and fabrication from low-cost, earth-abundant materials make DSCs an attractive technology, the efficiency of DSCs (13%) is still too low to compete with the current inorganic incumbents. Hence, new 'outside-of-the-box' strategies must be used to render DSCs competitive with current commercial technologies. This thesis describes my work on identifying losses in DSCs and 2 strategies to improve the efficiency of DSCs: the use of highly-soluble energy relay days to broaden the spectral response of DSCs, and the fabrication of semi-transparent solid-state DSCs to help improve the efficiency of inorganic devices in a tandem solar cell. Solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (ssDSCs) have historically lagged behind their liquid-electrolyte counterparts in efficiency. To gain a better understanding of why this is so, we have developed accurate internal quantum efficiency (IQE) measurements for ssDSCs. By analyzing the IQE, it is found that while charge collection is efficient in ssDSCs, often charge injection is not. This analysis also shows that parasitic absorption by the Spiro-OMeTAD is an important loss mechanism in ssDSCs and suggests that stronger absorbing sensitizers are the most promising path to higher efficiencies. In DSCs, the roles of absorbing light, injecting charge, and blocking recombination are all given to the sensitizing dye, resulting in a myriad of design rules for DSC sensitizers. An energy relay dye (ERD) is a second dye that helps relax these design rules by providing complementary absorption and then transferring energy to a sensitizing dye. However, such ERDs come with their own design rules, including the need for high solubility for full light absorption, and high photoluminescence for efficient energy transfer. We have designed and synthesized two such dyes, and characterized them as ERDs in DSCs, yielding a 65% increase in efficiency. Finally, even if DSCs are unable to reach efficiencies that render them competitive against traditional inorganic solar cells, DSCs can be used in conjunction with an inorganic solar cell in a hybrid tandem photovoltaic (HTPV). High open-circuit voltages and cheap processing render DSCs attractive top cells in HTPVs, and such devices can exceed efficiencies of 20%. However, in order to be used in HTPVs, a DSC must be fabricated such that below bandgap light can pass through the device and be absorbed by the inorganic bottom cell. Toward that end, we have developed a transparent top contact for solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells that renders ssDSCs attractive candidates for HTPVs.

Interfacial Engineering in Functional Materials for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Interfacial Engineering in Functional Materials for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells PDF Author: Alagarsamy Pandikumar
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 111955733X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 288

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Book Description
Offers an Interdisciplinary approach to the engineering of functional materials for efficient solar cell technology Written by a collection of experts in the field of solar cell technology, this book focuses on the engineering of a variety of functional materials for improving photoanode efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). The first two chapters describe operation principles of DSSC, charge transfer dynamics, as well as challenges and solutions for improving DSSCs. The remaining chapters focus on interfacial engineering of functional materials at the photoanode surface to create greater output efficiency. Interfacial Engineering in Functional Materials for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells begins by introducing readers to the history, configuration, components, and working principles of DSSC It then goes on to cover both nanoarchitectures and light scattering materials as photoanode. Function of compact (blocking) layer in the photoanode and of TiCl4 post-treatment in the photoanode are examined at next. Next two chapters look at photoanode function of doped semiconductors and binary semiconductor metal oxides. Other chapters consider nanocomposites, namely, plasmonic nanocomposites, carbon nanotube based nanocomposites, graphene based nanocomposites, and graphite carbon nitride based nanocompositesas photoanodes. The book: Provides comprehensive coverage of the fundamentals through the applications of DSSC Encompasses topics on various functional materials for DSSC technology Focuses on the novel design and application of materials in DSSC, to develop more efficient renewable energy sources Is useful for material scientists, engineers, physicists, and chemists interested in functional materials for the design of efficient solar cells Interfacial Engineering in Functional Materials for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells will be of great benefit to graduate students, researchers and engineers, who work in the multi-disciplinary areas of material science, engineering, physics, and chemistry.

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells PDF Author: Masoud Soroush
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 0128145420
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 470

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Book Description
Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: Mathematical Modelling and Materials Design and Optimization presents the latest information as edited from leaders in the field. It covers advances in DSSC design, fabrication and mathematical modelling and optimization, providing a comprehensive coverage of various DSSC advances that includes different system scales, from electronic to macroscopic level, and a consolidation of the results with fundamentals. The book is extremely useful as a monograph for graduate students and researchers, but is also a comprehensive, general reference on state-of-the-art techniques in modelling, optimization and design of DSSCs. Includes chapter contributions from worldwide leaders in the field Offers first-principles of modelling solar cells with different system scales, from the electronic to macroscopic level References, in a single resource, state-of-the-art techniques in modelling, optimization and design of DSSC

Rational Design of Solar Cells for Efficient Solar Energy Conversion

Rational Design of Solar Cells for Efficient Solar Energy Conversion PDF Author: Alagarsamy Pandikumar
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1119437407
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 396

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Book Description
An interdisciplinary guide to the newest solar cell technology for efficient renewable energy Rational Design of Solar Cells for Efficient Solar Energy Conversion explores the development of the most recent solar technology and materials used to manufacture solar cells in order to achieve higher solar energy conversion efficiency. The text offers an interdisciplinary approach and combines information on dye-sensitized solar cells, organic solar cells, polymer solar cells, perovskite solar cells, and quantum dot solar cells. The text contains contributions from noted experts in the fields of chemistry, physics, materials science, and engineering. The authors review the development of components such as photoanodes, sensitizers, electrolytes, and photocathodes for high performance dye-sensitized solar cells. In addition, the text puts the focus on the design of material assemblies to achieve higher solar energy conversion. This important resource: Offers a comprehensive review of recent developments in solar cell technology Includes information on a variety of solar cell materials and devices, focusing on dye-sensitized solar cells Contains a thorough approach beginning with the fundamental material characterization and concluding with real-world device application. Presents content from researchers in multiple fields of study such as physicists, engineers, and material scientists Written for researchers, scientists, and engineers in university and industry laboratories, Rational Design of Solar Cells for Efficient Solar Energy Conversion offers a comprehensive review of the newest developments and applications of solar cells with contributions from a range of experts in various disciplines.

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells PDF Author: Adarsh Kumar Pandey
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 0128182075
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 259

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Book Description
Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: Emerging Trends and Advanced Applications is highly focused on addressing all aspects of dye sensitized solar cell technology. In this book, the authors present systematic analysis and working principles and detailed studies of individual components, manufacturing methods, software assisted design surrounding the technology market, commercialization potential, and performance evaluations and detailed fabrication methods and parameters. As there is no specific book which could encircle all the aspects of dye sensitized solar cells from its very basic working principles to advanced approached to improve it efficiency, this book fills that gap. Providing a comprehensive study on dye sensitized solar cells, this reference covers basic working principles to advanced approaches in improving efficiency as well as thermodynamic and kinetic studies. It will be ideal for advanced stage researchers and engineers looking to get a grip on DSSC technology. Provides a compilation of all-important principles and advanced research in the field of dye sensitized solar cells Specifies constituents of each DSSC, from basic to advanced level Details advances in fabrication and software assisted design of DSSC

Fundamentals of Solar Cell Design

Fundamentals of Solar Cell Design PDF Author: Inamuddin
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1119724708
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 578

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Book Description
Solar cells are semiconductor devices that convert light photons into electricity in photovoltaic energy conversion and can help to overcome the global energy crisis. Solar cells have many applications including remote area power systems, earth-orbiting satellites, wristwatches, water pumping, photodetectors and remote radiotelephones. Solar cell technology is economically feasible for commercial-scale power generation. While commercial solar cells exhibit good performance and stability, still researchers are looking at many ways to improve the performance and cost of solar cells via modulating the fundamental properties of semiconductors. Solar cell technology is the key to a clean energy future. Solar cells directly harvest energy from the sun’s light radiation into electricity are in an ever-growing demand for future global energy production. Solar cell-based energy harvesting has attracted worldwide attention for their notable features, such as cheap renewable technology, scalable, lightweight, flexibility, versatility, no greenhouse gas emission, environment, and economy friendly and operational costs are quite low compared to other forms of power generation. Thus, solar cell technology is at the forefront of renewable energy technologies which are used in telecommunications, power plants, small devices to satellites. Aiming at large-scale implementation can be manipulated by various types used in solar cell design and exploration of new materials towards improving performance and reducing cost. Therefore, in-depth knowledge about solar cell design is fundamental for those who wish to apply this knowledge and understanding in industries and academics. This book provides a comprehensive overview on solar cells and explores the history to evolution and present scenarios of solar cell design, classification, properties, various semiconductor materials, thin films, wafer-scale, transparent solar cells, and so on. It also includes solar cells’ characterization analytical tools, theoretical modeling, practices to enhance conversion efficiencies, applications and patents.

Printable Solar Cells

Printable Solar Cells PDF Author: Nurdan Demirci Sankir
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1119283736
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 578

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Book Description
Printable Solar Cells The book brings together the recent advances, new and cutting edge materials from solution process and manufacturing techniques that are the key to making photovoltaic devices more efficient and inexpensive. Printable Solar Cells provides an overall view of the new and highly promising materials and thin film deposition techniques for printable solar cell applications. The book is organized in four parts. Organic and inorganic hybrid materials and solar cell manufacturing techniques are covered in Part I. Part II is devoted to organic materials and processing technologies like spray coating. This part also demonstrates the key features of the interface engineering for the printable organic solar cells. The main focus of Part III is the perovskite solar cells, which is a new and promising family of the photovoltaic applications. Finally, inorganic materials and solution based thin film formation methods using these materials for printable solar cell application is discussed in Part IV. Audience The book will be of interest to a multidisciplinary group of fields, in industry and academia, including physics, chemistry, materials science, biochemical engineering, optoelectronic information, photovoltaic and renewable energy engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical and manufacturing engineering.

Interface Engineering and Characterization in Dye and Quantum Dot-sensitized Solar Cells

Interface Engineering and Characterization in Dye and Quantum Dot-sensitized Solar Cells PDF Author: Thomas P. Brennan
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
The increasing demand for energy as standards of living and population sizes rise across the globe motivates the development of scalable resources to meet the forecasted doubling of energy consumption. This challenge is further compounded by the need to reduce the CO2 emissions associated with our current level of energy consumption in order to stave off costly changes in the global climate. Solar energy promises renewable, carbon-free energy and a resource that is orders of magnitude larger than alternative sources. Capturing this solar energy with photovoltaic devices has become an increasingly economical means of energy production, but further development is needed to make solar energy conversion inexpensive and ubiquitous. One particular class of photovoltaics--the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC)--is especially appealing because it can be constructed with abundant, inexpensive materials and be engineered in a modular fashion for a wide array of product applications. Challenges remain, however, in order to make DSSCs more efficient, more economical, and more practical. The DSSC architecture is quite different than traditional--i.e. silicon and thin film inorganic--photovoltaics in that light harvesting and charge collection are decoupled. This is achieved by depositing a thin nanometer-scale layer of light-absorbing dye molecules atop a high surface area nanostructured TiO2 anode. The consequence of this architecture, however, is an abundance of interfacial area at which deleterious charge recombination processes can occur. Further improvements in DSSC performance therefore require a thorough understanding of and high control over the dual-interface that exists between the dye layer and the electron-conducting anode and the dye layer and the hole-transporting material (HTM). In the first part of this work we describe the application of thin, sub-nanometer insulating metal oxide layers grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) to the TiO2 anode for the purpose of slowing down the undesirable back-recombination of electrons injected into TiO2 by the light-absorbing dye molecules. We use the well-characterized insulator Al2O3 as a recombination barrier material and perform a comprehensive study of different parameters that impact how such barriers change device performance. In a solid-state DSSC we demonstrate the importance of the dye chemical structure and the anode fabrication process in dictating whether or not improvements achieved through the recombination suppression outweigh device current losses that result from the insertion of an insulating layer. We apply these lessons to a new barrier layer material, In2O3, that unlike Al2O3 has not been previously well-characterized but is less-insulating and can be grown at an extremely low growth rate, providing excellent control over the competing consequences of barrier layers. With In2O3 we are able to demonstrate some of the highest ever reported open-circuit voltages for this class of DSSC and we observe an unexpected change in behavior as the In2O3 barriers reach a certain thickness. In our third barrier layer study, we achieve a near-doubling in efficiency when Al2O3 is applied to a quantum dot-sensitized solar cell, a close analogue of the DSSC, wherein recombination more severely limits device performance. In the second part of this work, we combine experimental and computational techniques to study the dye/anode interface and the orientation of dye molecules adsorbed on a TiO2 surface. Near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy is used to measure the angles of individual bonds and in turn deduce the full geometry of adsorbed dye molecules. This result is compared to computational simulations using density functional theory-molecular dynamics (DFT-MD) of the same dye/TiO2 system. Our results show remarkable correspondence between the experimental and computational approaches and signify important consequences for understanding the dye/anode interface in DSSCs as well as adsorbate/substrate studies more generally.

Interfacial Engineering in Functional Materials for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Interfacial Engineering in Functional Materials for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells PDF Author: Alagarsamy Pandikumar
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1119557399
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 368

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Book Description
Offers an Interdisciplinary approach to the engineering of functional materials for efficient solar cell technology Written by a collection of experts in the field of solar cell technology, this book focuses on the engineering of a variety of functional materials for improving photoanode efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). The first two chapters describe operation principles of DSSC, charge transfer dynamics, as well as challenges and solutions for improving DSSCs. The remaining chapters focus on interfacial engineering of functional materials at the photoanode surface to create greater output efficiency. Interfacial Engineering in Functional Materials for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells begins by introducing readers to the history, configuration, components, and working principles of DSSC It then goes on to cover both nanoarchitectures and light scattering materials as photoanode. Function of compact (blocking) layer in the photoanode and of TiCl4 post-treatment in the photoanode are examined at next. Next two chapters look at photoanode function of doped semiconductors and binary semiconductor metal oxides. Other chapters consider nanocomposites, namely, plasmonic nanocomposites, carbon nanotube based nanocomposites, graphene based nanocomposites, and graphite carbon nitride based nanocompositesas photoanodes. The book: Provides comprehensive coverage of the fundamentals through the applications of DSSC Encompasses topics on various functional materials for DSSC technology Focuses on the novel design and application of materials in DSSC, to develop more efficient renewable energy sources Is useful for material scientists, engineers, physicists, and chemists interested in functional materials for the design of efficient solar cells Interfacial Engineering in Functional Materials for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells will be of great benefit to graduate students, researchers and engineers, who work in the multi-disciplinary areas of material science, engineering, physics, and chemistry.

Counter Electrodes for Dye-Sensitized and Perovskite Solar Cells (2 Vols.)

Counter Electrodes for Dye-Sensitized and Perovskite Solar Cells (2 Vols.) PDF Author: Sining Yun
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 3527413677
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 658

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Book Description
A guide to one of the most important aspects for affordable and highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cells Dye-sensitized solar cells have the potential to be one of the most promising photovoltaic technologies for production of renewable and clean energy. Counter Electrodes for Dye-Sensitized and Perovskite Solar Cells offers an introduction to the various types of counter electrode catalysts for dye-sensitized solar cells and perovskite solar cells, including metal and metal compounds, carbon materials, polymers, and composites. With contributions from an international panel of experts, the book contains a discussion of the design and synthesis of the catalysts, characterization and stability of the devices, as well as calculations on properties. The contributors cover a wide range of topics including information on: carbon nanotubes electrocatalysts for I-mediated dye-sensitized solar cells; Pt-loaded composite electrocatalysts for I-mediated dye-sensitized solar cells; metal contact electrodes for perovskite solar cells; and much more. The book also includes insight into the future developments in the field. This important resource Covers the various types of counter electrode catalysts and presents design strategies, synthesis methods, theoretical calculation and stability evaluation Includes information on low-cost counter electrode catalysts and commercial applications of dye-sensitized sensitized solar cells Disscuses how electrode catalysts can be applied in a range of fields, such as solar cells, fuel cells, hydrogen production, and photocatalysis Offers contributions from leading experts in the field including Anders Hagfeldt, one of the world's leading researchers in this field Written for materials scientists, solid state chemists, electrochemists, catalytic chemists, solid state physicists, and chemical industry professionals, Counter Electrodes for Dye-Sensitized and Perovskite Solar Cells is a comprehensive and authoritative guide to dye-sensitized solar cells.