The role of n–p junction electrodes in minimizing the charge recombination and enhancement of photocurrent and photovoltage in dye sensitized solar cells

The composite electrode comprising n-type TiO₂ and p-type NiO oxides when sensitized with Ru-dye showed short-circuit photocurrent (I_sc) of 17 mA/cm² and open-circuit photovoltage (V_oc) of 730 mV compared to I_sc of 12 mA/cm² and 700 mV for TiO₂ electrodes. Formation of a n–p junction between TiO₂ and NiO oxide layers contributes to the enhanced photocurrent, photovoltage, fill factor and efficiency. In addition to the junction effect, NiO acts as a barrier for charge recombination leading to higher cell performance. The efficiency of the NiO coated TiO₂ solar cell is 30% more than that of bare TiO₂. The negative shift of the flat-band potential of the NiO coated TiO₂ electrode compared to TiO₂ also could be one of the reasons for higher photovoltage observed for TiO₂/NiO electrode. The highest cell efficiencies were obtained immersing TiO₂ thin films in Ni²⁺ solution and converting them to NiO by firing and the optimum NiO coating thickness was found to be only a few angstroms. The energy levels of the excited dye and the band positions of TiO₂ and NiO suggest that the electron transfer from the excited dye to the underlying n-type oxide layer occurs by tunneling through the p-type NiO layer.     

Effects of Metal Oxide Modifications on Photoelectrochemical Properties of Mesoporous TiO2 Nanoparticles Electrodes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Mesoporous TiO₂ (m-TiO₂) nanoparticles were used to prepare the porous film electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells, and a second metal oxide (MgO, ZnO, Al₂O₃, or NiO) modifi-cation was carried out by dipping the m-TiO₂ electrode into their respective nitrate solution followed by annealing at 500 oC. Experimental results indicated that the above second metal oxide modifications on m-TiO₂ electrode are shown in all cases to act as barrier layer for the interfacial charge transfer processes, but film electron transport and interfacial charge recombination characteristics under applied bias voltage were dependent significantly on the existing states and kinds of these second metal oxides. Those changes based on sec-ond metal oxide modifications showed good correlation with the current-voltage analyses of dye-sensitized solar cell, and all modifications were found to increase the open-circuit photo-voltage in various degrees, while the MgO, ZnO, and NiO modifications result in 23%, 13%, and 6% improvement in cell conversion efficiency, respectively. The above observations indi-cate that controlling the charge transport and recombination is very important to improve the photovoltaic performance of TiO₂-based solar cell.     

四甲基-四乙基钯卟啉的表面光伏特性研究

合成了1,3,5,7-四甲基-2,4,6,8-四乙基卟啉(TMTEP)及其钯络合物(PdTMTEP),并利用表面光电压谱(SPS)和场诱导表面光电压谱(FISPS)技术对它们的表面光伏特性进行了研究.TMTEP有较强的荧光发射,而PdTMTEP以磷光辐射为主,其光伏响应强度比TMTEP的强得多;在外电场诱导下,PdTMTEP的Soret带与Q带的光伏响应强度随外加正电场光伏响应强度的增加而增强,随外加负电场光伏响应强度的增加而减弱,并且在680,750nm处出现两个新的光伏响应带,这两个光伏响应带与极化子跃迁有关.     

Porphyrin Supramolecule as Surface Carrier Modulator Imparts Hole Transporter with Enhanced Mobility for Perovskite Photovoltaics

Modulating the surface charge transport behavior of hole transport materials (HTMs) would be as an potential approach to improve their hole mobility, while yet realized for fabricating efficient photovoltaic devices. Here, an oxygen bridged dimer-based monoamine Fe^III porphyrin supramolecule is prepared and doped in HTM film. Theoretical analyses reveal that the polaron distributed on dimer can be coupled with the parallel arranged polarons on adjacent dimers. This polaron coupling at the interface of supramolecule and HTM can resonates with hole flux to increase hole transport efficiency. Mobility tests reveal that the hole mobility of doped HTM film is improved by 8-fold. Doped perovskite device exhibits an increased efficiency from 19.8 % to 23.2 %, and greatly improved stability. This work provides a new strategy to improve the mobility of HTMs by surface carrier modulation, therefore fabricating efficient photovoltaic devices.     

Hole transfer dynamics from dye molecules to p-type NiO nanoparticles: effects of processing conditions

Hole transfer dynamics of Atto647N sensitized p-type NiO nanoparticle (NP) thin films is investigated using both ensemble-averaged and single-molecule spectroscopy techniques. The rate of hole transfer is dependent on the processing conditions and is enhanced when the NiO is pre-annealed in air as compared to vacuum. This is possibly due to an upward shift of the valence band of the semiconductor and an increase in the free energy for hole transfer as more Ni(2)O(3) are formed in the presence of air. The stretched exponential fluorescence decay profile of Atto647N on NiO NP suggests the presence of a distribution of hole transfer rates. This is in agreement with the observed emission lifetime and intensity fluctuations and non-monoexponential fluorescence decays for individual Atto647N molecules on NiO NP films. A plausible explanation for the heterogeneous hole transfer rates is an inhomogeneous distribution of (defect) sites on the metal oxide due to the processing conditions and a fluctuation in the intermolecular interaction.     

Efficient charge injection from the S2 photoexcited state of special-pair mimic porphyrin assemblies anchored on a titanium-modified ITO anode

A novel surface fabrication methodology has been accomplished, aimed at efficient anodic photocurrent generation by a photoexcited porphyrin on an ITO (indium-tin oxide) electrode. The ITO electrode was submitted to a surface sol-gel process with titanium n-butoxide in order to deposit a titanium monolayer. Subsequently, porphyrins were assembled as monolayers on the titanium-treated ITO surface via phosphonate, isophthalate, and thiolate groups. Slipped-cofacial porphyrin dimers, the so-called artificial special pair at the photoreaction center, were organized through imidazolyl-to-zinc complementary coordination of imidazolylporphyrinatozinc(II) units, which were covalently immobilized by ring-closing olefin metathesis of allyl side chains. The modified surfaces were analyzed by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Photoirradiation of the porphyrin dimer generated a large anodic photocurrent in aqueous electrolyte solution containing hydroquinone as an electron sacrificer, due to the small reorganization energy of the dimer. The use of different linker groups led to significant differences in the efficiencies of anodic photocurrent generation. The apparent flat-band potentials evaluated from the photocurrent properties at various pH values and under biased conditions imply that the band structure of the ITO electrode is modified by the anchoring species. The quantum yield for the anodic photocurrent generation by photoexcitation at the Soret band is increased to 15 %, a surprisingly high value without a redox cascade structure on the ITO electrode surface, while excitation at the Q band is not so significant. Extensive exploration of the photocurrent properties has revealed that hot injection of the photoexcited electron from the S2 level into the conduction band of the ITO electrode takes place before internal conversion to the S1* state, through the strong electronic communication of the phosphonyl anchor with the sol-gel-modified ITO surface.     

基于铝离子掺杂二氧化钛薄膜的染料敏化太阳能电池的光电性能

采用水热法制备出Al3+掺杂二氧化钛薄膜,通过玻璃棒涂于导电玻璃上,在450°C的温度下烧结并将其用N3染料敏化制成染料敏化太阳能电池(DSSCs).通过X射线光电子能谱(XPS)、X射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电镜(SEM)及DSSCs测试系统对其进行了测试表征,研究了Al3+掺杂对TiO2晶型及染料敏化太阳能电池的光电性能影响.XPS数据显示Al3+成功掺杂到了TiO2晶格内,由于Al3+的存在,对半导体内电子和空穴的捕获及阻止电子/空穴对的复合发挥重要作用.莫特-肖特基曲线显示掺杂Al3+后二氧化钛平带电位发生正移,并导致电子从染料注入到TiO2的驱动力提高.DSSCs系统测试结果表明,Al3+掺杂的TiO2薄膜光电效率达到6.48%,相对于无掺杂的纯二氧化钛薄膜光电效率(5.58%),其光电效率提高了16.1%,短路光电流密度从16.5mA·cm-2提高到18.2mA·cm-2.     

二联体卟啉的光致电荷转移行为

卟啉聚集体在光合作用和生物体新陈代谢过程中发挥着极为重要的作用[1,2 ] .但是在复杂的自然界体系中 ,研究卟啉聚集体中的电子转移行为非常困难 ,所以借助于简单的二联体卟啉和多聚体卟啉作为生物体新陈代谢过程中活性位点的模型来研究其间的电荷转移行为[3] .近年来 ,人们在二联体卟啉和多聚体卟啉合成及性质表征方面做了大量的工作 ,特别是利用各种光谱来研究它们的电子和光生电子行为以及它们与具有生物活性的分子和特殊气体分子之间的电荷转移过程 [4 ,5] .本文利用表面光电压谱 (SPS)技术对二联体卟啉的光伏响应进行了研究 ,发现二…     

五甲川菁染料敏化p-NiO纳米结构电极的光电化学

研究了NiO纳米结构电极及五甲川菁染料敏化NiO纳米结构电极的光电化学行为。结果表明,NiO纳米结构电极在光照下产生阴极光电流,为p-型半导体,其禁带宽度为2.8eV,使用五甲川菁染料敏化可以显著地提高NiO纳米结构电极的阴极光电流,使NiO纳米结构电极吸收波长红移至可见光区,光电转换效率得到明显改善。研究了OTE/TiO~2/Ru(bpy)~2(SCN)~2和OTE/NiO/PMC作为光阳极和光阴极组成电池的电池特性,结果表明复合电池的光电压提高,但光电流的大小受光电流小的电极限制。     

Co-SrTiO3上光催化分解水制氢的性能研究

氢能在使用过程中不会给环境带来任何污染,是未来最理想的能源。但目前的氢气生产方法能耗较高,同时伴随着严重的环境污染,显然不适合大规模生产能源用氢气。洁净化生产氢气方法的开发备受世人的关注,吸引了大量的科研人员从事这方面的研究。其中以半导体氧化物为催化剂,光催化分解水制氢被认为是最有前途的方法。经过几十年的努力,取得了很大的进步,先后开发出在紫外光照射下可以将蒸馏水分解为氢气和氧气的光催化剂,如TiO2犤1犦、SrTiO3犤2犦、Na2Ti6O13犤3犦、BaTi4O9犤4犦、K2La2Ti3O10犤5犦、K4Nb6O17犤6犦、ZrO2犤7犦等;可见…     

Two self-assembled supramolecular solar cells sensitized via axial coordination with zinc porphyrin

In this work, two new self-assemblies based on zinc porphyrins substituted at the meso-positions with different donor units (denoted as ZnP1 and ZnP2) and anchor porphyrin (ZnPA) dyads formed by the coordination bonds of Zn-to-ligand have been prepared. Further, the assemblies were absorbed on semiconducting TiO₂ electrode surfaces by the carboxylic groups of anchor porphyrin (ZnPA), and their photovoltaic performances in solar cells were performed under 100 mW cm^?2 AM 1.5G sunlight. Photoelectrochemical studies reveal a significantly improved photovoltaic behavior for the dyad of triphenylamine-based zinc porphyrin (ZnP1) compared to the dyad with trimethylamine-based zinc porphyrin. The results were verified by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, calculations, and optical performance. In addition, the modes of the assemblies immobilized on TiO₂ electrode surfaces were also verified by transmission electron microscopy.     

Fluorine substituted conjugated polymer of medium band gap yields 7% efficiency in polymer-fullerene solar cells

Recent research advances on conjugated polymers for photovoltaic devices have focused on creating low band gap materials, but a suitable band gap is only one of many performance criteria required for a successful conjugated polymer. This work focuses on the design of two medium band gap (~2.0 eV) copolymers for use in photovoltaic cells which are designed to possess a high hole mobility and low highest occupied molecular orbital and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy levels. The resulting fluorinated polymer PBnDT-FTAZ exhibits efficiencies above 7% when blended with [6,6]-phenyl C(61)-butyric acid methyl ester in a typical bulk heterojunction, and efficiencies above 6% are still maintained at an active layer thicknesses of 1 μm. PBnDT-FTAZ outperforms poly(3-hexylthiophene), the current medium band gap polymer of choice, and thus is a viable candidate for use in highly efficient tandem cells. PBnDT-FTAZ also highlights other performance criteria which contribute to high photovoltaic efficiency, besides a low band gap.     

Phosphorus(V) porphyrins with axial carbazole-based dendritic substituents

[structure: see text] Three phosphorus(V) porphyrins with axial carbazole-based dendritic substituents (D-A-D) have been designed and synthesized, which are nonfluorescent due to their effective electron transfer from the carbazole dendron to the excited porphyrin within the dendritic matrix. The incident photon to current conversion efficiencies (IPCE) spectra demonstrate that the molecular structure of the dendrimers can significantly affect the photovoltaic response to the visible light.     

Photovoltaic effects of CdS and PbS quantum dots encapsulated in zeolite Y

Zeolite Y films (0.35-2.5 μm), into which CdS and PbS quantum dots (QDs) were loaded, were grown on ITO glass. The CdS QD-loaded zeolite Y films showed a photovoltaic effect in the electrolyte solution consisting of Na(2)S (1 M) and NaOH (0.1 M) with Pt-coated F-doped tin oxide glass as the counter electrode. In contrast, the PbS QD-loaded zeolite Y films exhibited a negligible PV effect. This contrasting behavior was proposed to arise from the large difference in driving force for the electron transfer from S(2-) in the solution to the hole in the valence band of QDs, with the former being much larger (~2 eV) than the latter (~1 eV). In the case of CdS QD-loaded zeolite Y with a loaded amount of CdS of 6.3 per unit cell, the short circuit current, open circuit voltage, fill factor, and efficiency were 0.3 mA cm(-2), 423 V, 28, and 0.1%, respectively, under the AM 1.5, 100 mW cm(-2) condition. This cell was stable for more than 18 days of continuous measurements. A large (3-fold) increase in overall efficiency was observed when PbS QD-loaded zeolite Y on ITO glass was used as the counter electrode. This phenomenon suggests that the uphill electron transfer from ITO glass to S in the solution is facilitated by the photoassisted pumping of the potential energy of the electron in ITO glass to the level that is higher than the reduction potential of S by PbS QDs. Under this condition, the incident-photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) value at 398 nm was 42% and the absorbed-photon-to-current conversion efficiency (APCE) value at 405 nm was 82%. The electrolyte-mediated interdot charge transport within zeolite films is concluded to be responsible for the overall current flow.     

Charge separation versus recombination in dye-sensitized nanocrystalline solar cells: the minimization of kinetic redundancy

In this paper we focus upon the electron injection dynamics in complete dye-sensitized nanocrystalline metal oxide solar cells (DSSCs). Electron injection dynamics are studied by transient absorption and emission studies of DSSCs and correlated with device photovoltaic performance and charge recombination dynamics. We find that the electron injection dynamics are dependent upon the composition of the redox electrolyte employed in the device. In a device with an electrolyte composition yielding optimum photovoltaic device efficiency, electron injection kinetics exhibit a half time of 150 ps. This half time is 20 times slower than that for control dye-sensitized films covered in inert organic liquids. This retardation is shown to result from the influence of the electrolyte upon the conduction band energetics of the TiO2 electrode. We conclude that optimum DSSC device performance is obtained when the charge separation kinetics are just fast enough to compete successfully with the dye excited-state decay. These conditions allow a high injection yield while minimizing interfacial charge recombination losses, thereby minimizing "kinetic redundancy" in the device. We show furthermore that the nonexponential nature of the injection dynamics can be simulated by a simple inhomogeneous disorder model and discuss the relevance of our findings to the optimization of both dye-sensitized and polymer based photovoltaic devices.     

动态复合对染料敏化太阳电池性能的影响

本文通过设计一种特殊的电池结构,动态改变电解液与导电玻璃（Tc0）的接触面积,固定Ti02薄膜面积,将TCO／OL解液界面与TiO2／电解液界面两种复合途径进行区分,从实验和理论两方面研究了复合途径变化对染料敏化太阳电池（DSC）性能的影响．采用电化学阻抗谱（EIS）表征界面电荷交换过程,研究了不同途径在复合中的作用机理．通过单色光下,1-V性能测试,对不同界面复合主导下的DSC二极管特性进行数值分析,探讨了复合过程中界面电荷交换变化对光电压（‰）的影响．研究结果表明,高光强下（Voc=700mV）改变TCO／电解液接触面积对复合影响不明显,DSC电子复合主要经由TiO2／电解液界面,电池具有明显的二极管特征;而弱光下（Voc〈400mV）增加TCO／电解液接触面积将使复合大幅增加,此时电荷交换由TCO／电解液界面主导,电池填充因子大幅降低,整流作用减弱．由于TCO／OL解液界面电荷交换明显慢于TiO2／电解液界面,通过同一电池一定光强范围内的光电压变化对比发现,高光强下光电压变化较慢,而弱光下光电压变化较快．     

Photostimulated electron tunnel transfer in solid matrices

Tunnel recombination of photoseparated charges in frozen vitreous alcoholic solutions of zinc porphyrin (ZnP) and CCl₄ has been investigated. Considerable acceleration of the recombination in such systems when exposed to light in the ZnP⁺ or the CCl₄^? absorption band region is observed. Possible mechanisms which increase the charge recombination efficiency are considered in detail. The acceleration of the tunnel recombination of ZnP⁺ and CCl₄^? under irradiation in the porphyrin absorption band is shown to be due to energy transfer from an excited acceptor to a transferred electron. It is shown that data on the kinetics of photostimulated tunnel reactions can be used to determine the binding energy of a tunnelling electron.     

Alkyl‐Chain‐Regulated Charge Transfer in Fluorescent Inorganic CsPbBr3 Perovskite Solar Cells

Improved charge extraction and wide spectral absorption promote power conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The state‐of‐the‐art carbon‐based CsPbBr₃ PSCs have an inferior power output capacity because of the large optical band gap of the perovskite film and the high energy barrier at perovskite/carbon interface. Herein, we use alkyl‐chain regulated quantum dots as hole‐conductors to reduce charge recombination. By precisely controlling alkyl‐chain length of ligands, a balance between the surface dipole induced charge coulomb repulsive force and quantum tunneling distance is achieved to maximize charge extraction. A fluorescent carbon electrode is used as a cathode to harvest the unabsorbed incident light and to emit fluorescent light at 516 nm for re‐absorption by the perovskite film. The optimized PSC free of encapsulation achieves a maximum power conversion efficiency up to 10.85 % with nearly unchanged photovoltaic performances under 80 %RH, 80 °C, or light irradiation in air.     

介孔掺镧纳米晶TiO2瞬态光伏与表面光声特性

结合瞬态光伏与表面光声技术, 研究介孔掺镧nano-TiO2光生载流子分离与复合过程及其能量转换机制. 结果表明: 锐钛矿中两种不同光伏特性的缺陷态具有光生载流子扩散距离短, 复合速度快的特点; 镧掺杂增加体缺陷态对于光伏效应的贡献, 但在某种程度上抑制主带隙的电荷分离; 模板剂种类对于主带隙电子-空穴对的分离与复合过程, 以及亚带隙无辐射跃迁引起的晶格振动均有显著的影响. 结果证实了样品表面光声与瞬态光伏现象之间存在明显的能量互补关系.     

Photophysics of an electrophosphorescent platinum (II) porphyrin in solid films

We examine electronic processes in platinum (II) octaethyl porphyrin (PtOEP) embedded in an organic solid state matrix and in the form of vacuum-evaporated neat films in conjunction with potential applications of this compound to organic photovoltaic and electrophosphorescent devices. Absorption, photoexcitation, and luminescence spectra indicate the excitonic dimers to be dominant excited states, and their dissociation underlies the charge photogeneration process. Different charge separation distance (1.5 nm and 2.6 nm) in opposite charge carrier pairs preceding dissociation can be distinguished based on the fit of the three-dimensional Onsager theory of geminate recombination to electromodulated luminescence and photoconduction measurements. The near-positive electrode concentrated triplet dimer excitons, produced by strongly 370 nm absorbed light in neat PtOEP films, are efficiently quenched by electron transfer to the metal (Al), generating the positive charge with an efficiency eta+ exceeding 0.15 at high electric fields and dominating the measured photocurrent. Their dissociation efficiency in the bulk, eta- (negatively biased illuminated electrode), is more than one order of magnitude lower than eta+. The dissociation of singlet dimer states dominates the bulk photogeneration process induced by the weakly-absorbed light at 450 nm, with comparable eta+ and eta-. The "hot excited state" underlying the temperature-increasing emission at 540 nm has been attributed to the upper excitonic component Q+ of the first absorption band Q consistent with the exciton concept applied successfully to the interpretation of all dimer-underlain spectroscopic features of PtOEP samples studied.