Effect of TiCl4‐based TiO2 compact and blocking layers on efficiency of dye‐sensitized solar cells

The effect of the number and arrangement of TiO₂‐based photoanode layers on the efficiency of dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) was investigated. Compact, mesoporous, and blocking layers of TiO₂ were prepared to form monolayer, bilayer, and trilayer photoanodes. Compact and blocking TiO₂ layers were prepared using dip‐coating technique, whereas the doctor‐blade method was employed to prepare TiO₂ paste layers using nanoparticles prepared by the sol–gel method. The crystalline structure of photoanodes was characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) measurements and their morphology and thickness were characterized by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technique. The photovoltaic performance of constructed DSSC devices was investigated and the optimum arrangement was identified and explained in terms of dye loading enhancement and recombination reduction at the fluorine‐doped tin oxide (FTO)/electrolyte interface.     

Organic dyes containing nonsubstituted aryl amino moieties and azobenzene units for dye‐sensitized solar cells

A series of novel sensitizers were successfully synthesized utilizing azobenzene as a π‐linkage unit for the D–π–A structure. A slight red shift on the absorption spectra and λ_onset of the sensitizers could be observed when the thienyl group was introduced to the acceptor moiety (A). In addition, replacing the donor moiety (D) from carbazole to diarylamino could lead to a negative shift (approximately 0.3 V) in the first oxidation potential. DFT calculation was also carried out and the trend of calculated HOMO–LUMO gaps was consistent to the experimental data obtained from the CV results ( DT1 < DT2 < DT3 < DT4 ). These sensitizers were then employed in dye‐sensitized solar cells to investigate their photovoltaic performances. Highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 0.84% was achieved for DT1 ‐based DSSC according to its most bathochromic absorption spectrum.     

Physical and electrochemical study of platinum thin films deposited by sputtering and electrochemical methods

In this work platinum thin films deposited by sputtering and electrochemical methods were characterized through physical and electrochemical analysis. The as-grown platinum thin films were characterized through X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM); scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. Structural studies indicated that platinum thin films were polycrystalline. Morphological characteristics were significantly affected by the substrate type and synthesis method. Finally the EIS analysis indicated that platinum films were electrochemically stable and present both low resistance of charge transfer and low series resistance; the equivalent circuit of platinum interface has been proposed.     

一步水热法制备TiO2复合结构及光伏性能

采用一步水热法制备TiO2纳米棒阵列,研究了无水乙醇作为前驱物替换去离子水对纳米棒阵列的形貌的影响。实验发现,当无水乙醇的含量达到100%的时候,在生长的TiO2纳米棒阵列的上面获得一层以TiO2纳米棒为基本单元的微米球,从而制备出TiO2复合纳米阵列薄膜。通过XRD和TEM发现,样品为单晶四方金红石结构TiO2构成的阵列薄膜,将样品组装成染料敏化太阳能电池后,电池的开路电压和短路电流分别为Voc=0.63 V,Jsc=10.9 mA·cm-2,填充因子FF=56.3%,转换效率达到η=4.1%。     

准固态聚合物电解质在染料敏化太阳能电池中的应用

将固态或准固态聚合物电解质应用到染料敏化太阳能电池(DSSC)中可以有效解决应用液态电解质遇到的封装难、稳定性差等问题,因而近年来,对固态和准固态电解质的研究引起了广泛关注.本文就准固态聚合物电解质在DSSC中应用的研究进展及存在的问题进行了综述.同时,介绍了DSSC的结构及工作原理.根据目前DSSC准固态聚合物电解质...     

Synthesis and DSSC application of novel dendrimers with benzothiazole and triazole units

Synthesis of novel dendrimers with benzothiazole as surface group and triazole as branching unit is achieved through click chemistry. The presence of more number of benzothiazole and triazole units increases the molar absorption coefficient and alters the fluorescence as well as electrochemical behaviors in the dendrimers. Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) studies reveal that dendrimers with more number of benzothiazole and triazole groups exhibit better current generating capacity than the dendrimers with lesser number of benzothiazole and triazole groups. Dendrimer 2b shows the maximum current conversion efficiency (η) of 7.1%.