Computational studies on the interactions among redox couples, additives and TiO2: implications for dye-sensitized solar cells

One of the major and unique components of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) is the iodide/triiodide redox couple. Periodic density-functional calculations have been carried out to study the interactions among three different components of the DSSC, i.e. the redox shuttle, the TiO(2) semiconductor surface, and nitrogen containing additives, with a focus on the implications for the performance of the DSSC. Iodide and bromide with alkali metal cations as counter ions are strongly adsorbed on the TiO(2) surface. Small additive molecules also strongly interact with TiO(2). Both interactions induce a negative shift of the Fermi energy of TiO(2). The negative shift of the Fermi energy is related to the performance of the cell by increasing the open voltage of the cell and retarding the injection dynamics (decreasing the short circuit current). Additive molecules, however, have relatively weaker interaction with iodide and triiodide.     

Effect of organic dye on the performance of dye-sensitized solar cell utilizing TiO2 nanostructure films synthesized via CTAB-assisted liquid phase deposition technique

This work is concerned with the growth of TiO₂ nanostructures as photovoltaic materials of dyesensitized solar cell (DSSC) via phase liquid deposition technique treated with CTAB surfactant. This work investigates the influence of organic dyes, N719, N3 and Z907 as photosensitizer on the photovoltaic parameters of TiO₂ nanostructures dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). It also highlights the effect of the concentration of the best dye, N719 on the performance of the cell. The platinum films as counter electrode of the DSSC were prepared by sputtering platinum pellet on ITO substrate. The redox couple of the electrolyte utilized in the DSSC was iodide/triiodide. The cell sensitized with N719 dye demonstrated the best performance compared with the cell sensitized with another two dyes, N3 and Z907. This is due to N719 dye possess the highest optical absorption in visible region. The cell sensitized with 0.8 mM N719 dye performs the highest short-circuit current density, J _sc and power conversion efficiency, η since it posses the highest absorption in visible region. The DSSC utilizing 0.8 mM N719 dye demonstrated the highest J _sc and η of 6.48 mA cm^?2 and 1.69%, respectively.     

A new generation of platinum and iodine free efficient dye-sensitized solar cells

We report a series of cobalt complexes with various polypyridyl ligands, where the oxidation potential is tuned from 0.17 to 0.34 V vs. ferrocene. The highest occupied molecular orbitals (HOMO) of the cobalt complexes were stabilized by adding electron acceptor groups on pyridyl or replacing pyridyl by pyrazole. These complexes are then used as one-electron redox mediators in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) together with polymer based cathode resulting in an excellent performance. The performance of DSSCs using the molecularly engineered cobalt redox shuttle and poly(3,4-alkylthiophenes) based cathode is better than the triiodide/iodide redox shuttle with platinized cathode. The use of high surface area poly(3,4-propylenedioxythiophene) based nanoporous layers allows higher catalytic activity thus minimizing the electrode-electrolyte interface issues.     

Iron complex redox system as a mediator for a dye-sensitized solar cell

Photoelectric parameters of a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) based on nanocrystalline titania with an adsorbed commercial sensitizer Ruthenizer 505 and a redox system based on the [FeL₂] · 2Otf complex (where L = 4′-(4-bipyridyl)-2,2′:6′,2″-tert-pyridine and Otf^? =CF₃SO ₃ ^? ) as the mediator are studied. When illuminated with a power of 100 mW/cm2, the DSSC voltage with the mediator under study and the iodide/triiodide redox pair have close values of 470 and 480 mV, respectively. The current-voltage characteristics of the DSSC with the iron complex mediator are far lower than for the iodide/triiodide redox pair. Our data indicate the slower reduction kinetics of the oxidized sensitizer species for the iron complex. The reason for this may be associated with the shift of the redox potential toward positive values in going from the iodide/triiodide redox pair to the iron complex, and thereby a reduced driving force for the reduction of the oxidized sensitizer species. We also cannot rule out that the DSSC characteristics are affected by the reduction on the photoanode of the oxidized mediator species as a result of the high reversibility of the iron complex mediator redox system.     

Photoelectrochemical kinetics of eosin y-sensitized zinc oxide films investigated by scanning electrochemical microscopy

Eosin Y is used as a sensitizer for nanoporous zinc oxide films for prospective applications in photoelectrochemical solar cells. The kinetics of the reduction of the intermittently formed photo-oxidized dye molecules by iodide ions in the electrolyte phase was investigated by using the feedback mode of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). The bulk solution phase contained triiodide as electron transfer mediator, from which the ultramicroelectrode-generated iodide ions acted as electron donors for photo-oxidized Eosin Y molecules (D(+) (ads)) at the zinc oxide sample. Effective rate constants for the dye regeneration could be extracted from the SECM approach curves. The effective rate constants at different triiodide concentrations could be related to the rate constant for the reaction of the dissolved donor with photo-oxidized Eosin Y bound to ZnO, as well as to the overall rate of the photosensitization process. For the reaction D(+) (ads) + 1.5 I(-)-->D(ads) + 0.5 I(3) (-) a rate constant of k(ox) = (1.4+/-0.8)x10(8) cm(9/2) mol(-3/2) s(-1) was determined.     

Substituted polypyridine complexes of cobalt(II/III) as efficient electron-transfer mediators in dye-sensitized solar cells

A number of cobalt complexes of substituted polypyridine ligands were synthesized and investigated as possible alternatives to the volatile and corrosive iodide/triiodide redox couple commonly used as an electron-transfer mediator in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The extinction coefficients in the visible spectrum are on the order of 10(2) M(-1) cm(-1) for the majority of these complexes, diminishing competition with the light-harvesting dye. Cyclic voltammetric studies revealed a dramatic surface dependence of the heterogeneous electron-transfer rate, which is surprisingly different for gold, carbon, and platinum electrodes. DSSCs were assembled using a mediator that consisted of a mixture of Co(II) and Co(III) complexes in a 10:1 ratio. DSSCs containing these mediators were used to characterize incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency and photoelectrochemical responses. The best performing of these mediators were identified and subjected to further study. As suggested by electrochemical results, gold and carbon are superior cathode materials to platinum, and no evidence of corrosion on any cathode material was observed. Addition of lithium salts to the mediator solution resulted in a dramatic improvement in cell performance. The observed Li(+) effect is explained in terms of the recombination of injected electrons in the photoanode with the oxidized mediator. The best mediator, based on tris(4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-dipyridyl)cobalt(II/III) perchlorate, resulted in DSSCs exhibiting efficiencies within 80% of that of a comparable iodide/triiodide-mediated DSSC. Due to the commercial availability of the ligand and the simplicity with which the complex can be made, this new mediator represents a nonvolatile, noncorrosive, and practical alternative as an efficient electron-transfer mediator in DSSCs.     

Alkyl chain barriers for kinetic optimization in dye-sensitized solar cells

The optimization of interfacial charge transfer is crucial to the design of dye-sensitized solar cells. In this paper we address the dynamics of the charge separation and recombination in liquid-electrolyte and solid-state cells employing a series of amphiphilic ruthenium dyes with varying hydrocarbon chain lengths, acting as an insulating barrier for electron-hole recombination. Dynamics of electron injection, monitored by time-resolved emission spectroscopy, and of charge recombination and regeneration, monitored by transient optical absorption spectroscopy, are correlated with device performance. We find that increasing dye alkyl chain length results in slower charge recombination dynamics to both the dye cation and the redox electrolyte or solid-state hole conductor (spiro-OMeTAD). These slower recombination dynamics are however paralleled by reduced rates for both electron injection into the TiO2 electrode and dye regeneration by the I-/I3- redox couple or spiro-OMeTAD. Kinetic competition between electron recombination with dye cations and dye ground state regeneration by the iodide electrolyte is found to be a key factor for liquid electrolyte cells, with optimum device performance being obtained when the dye regeneration is just fast enough to compete with electron-hole recombination. These results are discussed in terms of the minimization of kinetic redundancy in solid-state and liquid-electrolyte dye-sensitized photovoltaic devices.     

Electrochemical characterization of Prussian blue type nickel hexacyanoferrate redox mediator for potential application as charge relay in dye-sensitized solar cells

A polynuclear electronically/ionically (redox) conducting mixed-valent inorganic material such as nickel(II) hexacyanoferrate(II,III), NiHCF, was considered for potential application as a redox mediator (charge relay) in dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). The NiHCF redox reactions were found fast and reversible not only when the system was studied as thin film exposed to an aqueous supporting electrolyte but also as bulk material (pasted powder) in solid state, i.e., in the absence of contact with external liquid electrolyte phase. Usefulness of NiHCF material was diagnosed using conventional electroanalytical approaches, solid-state voltammetric methodology, as well as the dynamic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy technique that permitted monitoring of impedance spectra under potentiodynamic conditions. The material was utilized in a mixed-valent state, i.e., as a mixture of K₄Ni^II[Fe^II(CN)₆] and K₃Ni^II[Fe^III(CN)₆] in which iron(II) and iron(III) sites were at the 1:1 ratio. Under such conditions, dynamics of electron-hopping between mixed-valent iron sites was maximized. Our DSSC utilized cis–dithiocyanoatobis(4,4??dicarboxylic acid-2,2??bipyridine) ruthenium(II) dye (N3) adsorbed onto TiO₂ semiconductor and NiHCF as redox mediator. Although performance of our DSSC was not optimized in terms of the NiHCF film thickness and morphology, as well as lower photocurrents in comparison to those characteristic of the iodine/iodide based DSSC were obtained, our system yielded readily fairly high open-circuit photovoltages on the level of 800?mV. An important issue was that the formal potential of NiHCF was more positive relative to the potential of the iodide/triiodide couple while being still more negative than that equivalent to the ground state of the N3 dye. Thus, NiHCF mediator was able to regenerate the dye.     

Mechanochemical synthesis in copper(II) halide/pyridine systems: single crystal X-ray diffraction and IR spectroscopic studies

Whereas complexes of divalent metal halides (X = Cl, Br, I) with/from pyridine commonly crystallise as trans-[M(py)(4)X(2)]·2py, M on a site of 222 symmetry in space group Ccca, true for CuCl(2) and CuBr(2) in particular, the copper(II) iodide adduct is of the form [Cu(py)(4)I]I·2py, Cu on a site of mm2 symmetry in space group Cmcm, and five-coordinate (square-pyramidal), the same cationic species also being found in 2[Cu(py)(4)I](I(3))·[(py)(2)Cu(μ-I)(2)Cu(py)(2)] (structurally defined). Bromide or N-thiocyanate may be substituted for the unbound iodide ion in the solvated salt, resulting in complexes which crystallize in space group Ccca, but with both anions and the metal atom disordered. In [Cu(py)(4)(I(3))(2)], a pair of long Cu···I contacts approach a square-planar Cu(py)(4) array. Assignments of the ν(CuN) and ν(CuX) (X = Br, I, SCN) bands in the far-IR spectra are made, the latter with the aid of analogous assignments for [Cu(py)(2)X(2)] (X = Cl, Br), which show a dependence of ν(CuX) on the Cu-X bond length that is very similar to that determined previously for copper(i) halide complexes. The structure of the adventitious complex [(trans-)(H(2)O)(py)(4)CuClCu(py)(4)](I(3))(3)·H(2)O is also recorded, with six- and five-coordinate copper atoms; rational synthesis provides [{Cu(py)(4)}(2)(μ-Cl)](I(3))(3)·H(2)O with one water molecule less. In [{Cu(py)(4)Cl}((∞|∞))](I(3))·3py, square pyramidal [Cu(py)(4)Cl](+) cations, assisted by Cl···Cu interactions, stack to give rise to infinite polymeric strings. Several of these compounds were prepared mechanochemically, illustrating the applicability of this method to syntheses involving redox reactions as well as to complex syntheses involving up to five components. The totality of results demonstrates that the [Cu(II)(py)(4)] entity can be stabilized in an unexpectedly diverse range of mononuclear and multinuclear complexes through the presence of lattice pyridine molecules, the bulky triiodide ion, or a combination of both.     

Electrochemical characterization of Prussian blue type nickel hexacyanoferrate redox mediator for potential application as charge relay in dye-sensitized solar cells

A polynuclear electronically/ionically (redox) conducting mixed-valent inorganic material such as nickel(II) hexacyanoferrate(II,III), NiHCF, was considered for potential application as a redox mediator (charge relay) in dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). The NiHCF redox reactions were found fast and reversible not only when the system was studied as thin film exposed to an aqueous supporting electrolyte but also as bulk material (pasted powder) in solid state, i.e., in the absence of contact with external liquid electrolyte phase. Usefulness of NiHCF material was diagnosed using conventional electroanalytical approaches, solid-state voltammetric methodology, as well as the dynamic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy technique that permitted monitoring of impedance spectra under potentiodynamic conditions. The material was utilized in a mixed-valent state, i.e., as a mixture of K₄Ni^II[Fe^II(CN)₆] and K₃Ni^II[Fe^III(CN)₆] in which iron(II) and iron(III) sites were at the 1:1 ratio. Under such conditions, dynamics of electron-hopping between mixed-valent iron sites was maximized. Our DSSC utilized cis–dithiocyanoatobis(4,4′-dicarboxylic acid-2,2′-bipyridine) ruthenium(II) dye (N3) adsorbed onto TiO₂ semiconductor and NiHCF as redox mediator. Although performance of our DSSC was not optimized in terms of the NiHCF film thickness and morphology, as well as lower photocurrents in comparison to those characteristic of the iodine/iodide based DSSC were obtained, our system yielded readily fairly high open-circuit photovoltages on the level of 800 mV. An important issue was that the formal potential of NiHCF was more positive relative to the potential of the iodide/triiodide couple while being still more negative than that equivalent to the ground state of the N3 dye. Thus, NiHCF mediator was able to regenerate the dye.

     

Recent Advances of Cobalt(II/III) Redox Couples for Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cell Applications

In recent years dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have emerged as one of the alternatives for the global energy crisis. DSSCs have achieved a certified efficiency of >11% by using the I^?/I₃^? redox couple. In order to commercialize the technology almost all components of the device have to be improved. Among the various components of DSSCs, the redox couple that regenerates the oxidized sensitizer plays a crucial role in achieving high efficiency and durability of the cell. However, the I^?/I₃^? redox couple has certain limitations such as the absorption of triiodide up to 430 nm and the volatile nature of iodine, which also corrodes the silver‐based current collectors. These limitations are obstructing the commercialization of this technology. For this reason, one has to identify alternative redox couples. In this regard, the Co(II/III) redox couple is found to be the best alternative to the existing I^?/I₃^? redox couple. Recently, DSSC test cell efficiency has risen up to 13% by using the cobalt redox couple. This review emphasizes the recent development of Co(II/III) redox couples for DSSC applications.     

Blue copper model complexes with distorted tetragonal geometry acting as effective electron-transfer mediators in dye-sensitized solar cells

The electron self-exchange rate constants of blue copper model complexes, [(-)-sparteine-N,N'](maleonitriledithiolato-S,S')copper ([Cu(SP)(mmt)])(0/)(-), bis(2,9-dimethy-1,10-phenanthroline)copper ([Cu(dmp)(2)](2+/+)), and bis(1,10-phenanthroline)copper ([Cu(phen)(2)](2+/+)) have been determined from the rate constants of electron transfer from a homologous series of ferrocene derivatives to the copper(II) complexes in light of the Marcus theory of electron transfer. The resulting electron self-exchange rate constant increases in the order: [Cu(phen)(2)](2+/+) < [Cu(SP)(mmt)](0/)(-) < [Cu(dmp)(2)](2+/+), in agreement with the order of the smaller structural change between the copper(II) and copper(I) complexes due to the distorted tetragonal geometry. The dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) were constructed using the copper complexes as redox couples to compare the photoelectrochemical responses with those using the conventional I(3)(-)/I(-) couple. The light energy conversion efficiency (eta) values under illumination of simulated solar light irradiation (100 mW/cm(2)) of DSSCs using [Cu(phen)(2)](2+/+), [Cu(dmp)(2)](2+/+), and [Cu(SP)(mmt)](0/)(-) were recorded as 0.1%, 1.4%, and 1.3%, respectively. The maximum eta value (2.2%) was obtained for a DSSC using the [Cu(dmp)(2)](2+/+) redox couple under the light irradiation of 20 mW/cm(2) intensity, where a higher open-circuit voltage of the cell was attained as compared to that of the conventional I(3)(-)/I(-) couple.     

A solvent-free, SeCN-/(SeCN)3- based ionic liquid electrolyte for high-efficiency dye-sensitized nanocrystalline solar cells

A solvent-free ionic liquid electrolyte based on the SeCN-/(SeCN)3- redox couple has been employed for high-efficiency dye-sensitized nanocrystalline solar cells. For the first time an alternative redox couple has been identified to rival and even exceed the performance of the iodide/triiodide couple even at full sunlight. Unprecedented 7.5-8.3% power conversion efficiencies under AM 1.5 sunlight have been achieved for photovoltaic devices with solvent-free ionic liquid electrolytes.     

Synthesis and structure of [Na4(DMSO)15][(I3)3(I)]. Self-assembly of hexacoordinated sodium

A new complex with the molecular formula [Na(4)(DMSO)(15)][(I(3))(3)(I)] represents the first example of Na(+) coordinated solely by DMSO. The triiodide (I(3)(-)) and iodide (I(-)) anions form an infinite linear chain running throughout the crystal.     

Decay kinetics of the excited S1 state of the cyanine dye Cy(+)I(-) (thiacarbocyanine iodide): the computation of quantum yields for different pathways

This work explains the unordinary solvent effect which was observed in the photochemical decay kinetics for the cyanine dye thiacarbocyanine iodide (Cy(+)I(-)) in binary solvent mixtures toluene/dimethylsulfoxide. The interpretation is formulated in terms of the probability density F(R) describing the distribution of interionic distances R in the ion pair Cy(+)I(-) and depending on the solvent composition. The proper normalization of this distribution is expressed via the degree of association α for the ion pair in a given solvent mixture. The α values are, in turn, extracted by means of the mass action law from the ionic association constants computed in a separate publication. The detailed kinetic scheme includes the empirical parametrization of the R-dependent kinetic constants for different decay channels. The multiparameter fitting procedure represents, with the reasonable parameter values, the dependence of the observed quantum yields on the solvent composition.     

Non‐classical Design of High‐Efficiency Sensitizers for Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

The dye regeneration step in a dye‐sensitized solar cell (DSSC) affects significantly the device efficiency. To be able to predict the dye regeneration efficiency by the electrolyte this paper provides a facile way to design high‐efficiency sensitizers for DSSC. This paper proposes, for the first time, a simple and ingenious way to identify the dye regeneration sites and their relative efficiencies when a specific electrolyte is used. Two steps are proposed to identify the dye regeneration sites and their relative regeneration efficiencies: (1) drawing all the resonance structures of the oxidized dye to determine the regeneration sites, and (2) choosing the most favored site for dye regeneration as the chemically softest (when the redox couple used is soft I⁻/I₃⁻ pair) and the least spatially hindered site. The regeneration sites identified by the resonance structures are consistent with the β‐LUSO (β lowest unoccupied spin orbital) distribution, which is generally used for identifying the dye regeneration sites, calculated with DT‐DFT theory. The relative dye regeneration efficiency and photovoltaic performance of both ruthenium and metal‐free organic dyes predicted by the method reported here are supported by experimental data and the proposed dye regeneration mechanism. Several types of dye molecules are used to demonstrate the correctness of this new tool. This non‐classical tool, which uses the well‐known chemical knowledge of the resonance structure and hard–soft acid–base principle, without any computer calculation or physicochemical measurement, provides a very simple and powerful tool to quickly conceive high‐efficiency sensitizers for DSSCs.     

Halogen bonding--a key step in charge recombination of the dye-sensitized solar cell

The halogen bonding between [Ru(dcbpy)(2)(SCN)(2)] dye and I(2) molecule has been studied. The ruthenium complex forms a stable [Ru(dcbpy)(2)(SCN)(2)]···I(2)·4(CH(3)OH) adduct via S···I interaction between the thiocyanate ligand and the I(2) molecule. The adduct can be seen as a model for one of the key intermediates in the regeneration cycle of the oxidized dye by the I(-)/I(3)(-) electrolyte in dye sensitized solar cells.     

Tuning the HOMO energy levels of organic dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells based on Br-/Br3- electrolytes

A series of novel metal-free organic dyes TC301-TC310 with relatively high HOMO levels were synthesized and applied in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) based on electrolytes that contain Br(-)/Br(3)(-) and I(-)/I(3)(-). The effects of additive Li(+) ions and the HOMO levels of the dyes have an important influence on properties of the dyes and performance of DSCs. The addition of Li(+) ions in electrolytes can broaden the absorption spectra of the dyes on TiO(2) films and shift both the LUMO levels of the dyes and the conduction band of TiO(2), thus leading to the increase of J(sc) and the decrease of V(oc). Upon using Br(-)/Br(3)(-) instead of I(-)/I(3)(-), a large increase of V(oc) is attributed to the enlarged energy difference between the redox potentials of electrolyte and the Fermi level of TiO(2), as well as the suppressed electron recombination. Incident photon to current efficiency (IPCE) action spectra, electrochemical impedance spectra, and nanosecond laser transient absorption reveal that both the electron collection yields and the dye regeneration yields (Φ(r)) depend on the potential difference (the driving forces) between the oxidized dyes and the Br(-)/Br(3)(-) redox couple. For the dyes for which the HOMO levels are more positive than the redox potential of Br(-)/Br(3)(-) sufficient driving forces lead to the longer effective electron-diffusion lengths and almost the same efficient dye regenerations, whereas for the dyes for which the HOMO levels are similar to the redox potential of Br(-)/Br(3)(-), insufficient driving forces lead to shorter effective electron-diffusion lengths and inefficient dye regenerations.     

碱金属碘化物与冠醚或穴醚的配合物中I3-和I-的氧化还原行为及其在染料敏化纳米薄膜太阳电池中的应用研究

本文利用超微铂电极和循环伏安法研究了在碱金属碘化物与冠醚或穴醚配合物的3-甲氧基丙腈(MePN)溶液中I₃^-和I^-的氧化还原行为。发现I₃^-和I^-在其中的表观扩散系数与阳离子有关，且I₃^-的表观扩散系数符合以下规律：1,2-二甲基-3-丙基咪唑阳离子(DMPI⁺)> [Na(¯¯15-C-5]⁺ > [K(¯¯18-C-6]⁺ > [Na(¯¯2.2.1-cryptand]⁺，I^-的表观扩散系数则为：[Na(¯¯2.2.1-cryptand]⁺> [Na(¯¯15-C-5]⁺ ≈[K(¯¯18-C-6]⁺> DMPI⁺。比较了由上述配合物和1,2-二甲基-3-丙基咪唑碘(DMPII)组成的染料敏化纳米薄膜太阳电池(DSC)的光伏性能，结果表明由上述配合物组成的DSC，其短路电流略高于DMPII，填充因子略低于DMPII，这与I^-和I₃^-在其中的表观扩散系数的大小是相一致的。此外，电解质溶液中的溶剂对DSC的光电转换效率也有较大影响，以MePN为溶剂，含DMPII的DSC的光电转换效率要高于[K(¯¯18-C-6]I，而以乙腈为溶剂，两者的光电转换效率并没有明显的差别。     

Quasi solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell with P(MMA-co-MAA)-based polymer electrolytes

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - A series of poly (methylacrylate-co-methylacrylic acid) (P(MMA-co-MAA)) gel polymer electrolytes containing iodide/triiodide (I−/I3−) redox...