Application In Hybrid Solar Cells Research Articles

Comparative examination of both spectral properties and hybrid solar cell application of 2,4,6-trimethoxyphenoxy substituted phthalocyanine dyes

In this study, novel octa 2,4,6-trimethoxyphenoxy substituted phthalocyanines, and tetra chloro and tetra 2,4,6-trimethoxyphenoxy substituted phthalocyanines were synthesized, characterized, examined their spectral properties comparatively and investigated of hybrid solar cell application of them. The spectral characterization can be performed for all phthalocyanine compounds, solar cell application was only possible for tetra chloro tetra 2,4,6-trimethoxyphenoxy substituted phthalocyanines, the others phthalocyanines not due to their low yield.Solar cell properties of the tetra chloro tetra 2,4,6-trimethoxyphenoxy substituted phthalocyanines were studied using the ITO/ZnO/C60/ P3HT /LiF/Al structure. In order to improve and compare performance parameters of the poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) based solar cells, the tetra chloro tetra 2,4,6-trimethoxyphenoxy substituted H2Pc(2), Co(II)Pc (3) and Ni(II)Pc (4) compounds were incorporated individually into the solar cell structure between ZnO and C60 layers in which amorphous ZnO nanoparticles serves as electron transfer layer. Solar cell performance parameters such as short circuit current density (JSC), open circuit voltage (VOC), fill factor (FF) and power conversion efficiency (η) were studied as comparison parameters. Incorporation of Ni(II)Pc (4) into the reference structure between ZnO and C60 caused an increase 23.4 % in Jsc and 4.4 % in η whereas incorporation of Co(II)Pc (3) layer into the reference structure caused an increase 135.0 % in Jsc and 107.0 % in η under an illumination of 100 mW/cm2 with an AM 1.5G solar simulator. The best JSC and η (%) values were obtained for P3HT based solar cells with Co(II)Pc (3) interlayer.

Improving photovoltaic characteristics of CdS-based hybrid solar cells through Mn incorporation

CdS thin films, both with and without Mn-doping, were grown via chemical bath deposition on indium tin oxide-coated glass substrates for application in hybrid solar cells. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that Mn doping led to a deterioration in the crystal quality of CdS samples, evidenced by increased microstrain and dislocation density. Mn atoms were interstitially incorporated into the CdS structure, resulting in an expansion of the unit cell volume. Morphological analysis indicated a decrease in grain size from 390 nm to 140 nm for 0 % and 2 % Mn-doped CdS samples, respectively, while maintaining the spherical shape of the CdS thin films. Mn doping also increased the transmittance of CdS thin films, with the highest transparency of 95 % at 580 nm achieved for the 2 % Mn-doped CdS sample. In comparison to undoped CdS (2.38 eV), the band gap of CdS samples initially decreased to 1.84 eV for 1 % Mn doping but significantly increased to 3.03 eV for 2 % Mn-doped CdS. Photoluminescence (PL) data indicated that 2 % Mn-doped CdS thin films exhibited the lowest peak intensity, suggesting that a high concentration of Mn atoms caused non-radiative charge recombination. Additionally, efficient exciton dissociation was observed between CdS:Mn and P3HT:PCBM (poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM)) layers in the 2 % Mn-doped CdS-based device, as per the PL results. Photovoltaic measurements demonstrated that compared to undoped CdS, 2 % Mn doping increased the power conversion efficiency of the CdS-based device from 0.070 % to 0.202 %, indicating an almost threefold increase in hybrid solar cell efficiency. This improvement is likely attributed to the development of a better interface between the CdS:Mn and P3HT:PCBM layers.

Utilisation of heat-treated single-layer graphene as an electrode for hybrid solar cell applications

Utilisation of heat-treated single-layer graphene as an electrode for hybrid solar cell applications

(Invited) Diffuse Light Harvesting to Structured Information with Hybrid Photovoltaics

By 2025 about 75 billion IoT devices will be installed, of which the majority will reside indoors. It is therefore crucial to find an energy source that yields high efficiencies in this environment.1,2 At 34% efficiency under ambient light, while being more environmentally friendly, sustainable to produce and to recycle. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) are known for efficient conversion of ambient light. Fast charge separation in a variety of organic dyes and tuneable energy levels in CuII/I redox systems combined with negligible recombination processes allow DSCs to maintain a high photovoltage under ambient light.1 We tailored dye-sensitized photovoltaic cells based on a copper (II/I) electrolyte for power generation under ambient lighting with an unprecedented conversion efficiency (PCE 34 %, 103 mW cm-2 at 1000 lux; 32.7 percent, 50 mW cm-2 at 500 lux; and 31.4 percent, mW cm-2 at 200 lux from a fluorescent lamp) using a novel co-sensitization strategy.2 Though there are additional factors to consider when converting ambient light. First, rather of simply extending the absorption range, the DSC's spectral conversion response should be tailored to the source of ambient lighting. Second, at low light intensities, recombination suppression is critical for DSC performance.3 Though there are additional factors to consider when converting ambient light. First, rather of simply extending the absorption range, the DSC's spectral conversion response should be tailored to the source of ambient lighting. Second, at low light intensities, recombination suppression is critical for DSC performance. Herein, we developed DSCs with CuII/I(tmby)2 (tmby = 4,4′,6,6′-tetramethyl-2,2′-bipyridine) hole transport material with a combination of organic sensitizers XY1 and L1. Under simulated sunlight (AM 1.5G, 100 mW cm−2), the best device reached a photovoltage of 1080 mV, a photocurrent density of 15.9 mA cm−2, a fill factor of 0.67 and a PCE of 11.5%.4,5 Under 1000 lux lighting, 64 cm2 photovoltaic area gives 152 J or 4.41 1020 photons sufficient for training and testing of an artificial neural network in less than 24 hours. Ambient light harvesters enable a new generation of self-powered and "smart" IoT gadgets to be fueled by a hitherto untapped energy source.2 Muñoz-García, A. B. et al. Dye-sensitized solar cells strike back. Chemical Society Reviews 50, 12450–12550 (2021).Michaels, H. et al. Dye-sensitized solar cells under ambient light powering machine learning: towards autonomous smart sensors for the internet of things. Chemical Science 11, 2895–2906 (2020).Freitag, M. et al. Dye-sensitized solar cells for efficient power generation under ambient lighting. Nature Photonics 11, 372–378 (2017).Michaels, H., Benesperi, I. & Freitag, M. Challenges and prospects of ambient hybrid solar cell applications. Chemical Science (2021) doi:10.1039/D0SC06477G.Benesperi, I., Michaels, H. & Freitag, M. The researcher’s guide to solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells. Journal of Materials Chemistry C (2018) doi:10.1039/C8TC03542C.

Molecular Design and Cost-Effective Synthesis of Tetraphenylethene-Based Hole-Transporting Materials for Hybrid Solar Cell Application

The innovative choice of core and periphery groups for organic hole-transporting materials (HTMs) has gained more attention for modern development in hybrid organic–inorganic perovskite solar cells (PSCs). For large-scale application of PSCs, the replacement of 2,2′,7,7′-tetrakis(N,N-di-4-methoxyphenylamino)-9,9′-spirobifluorene (spiro-OMeTAD) has its demands such as low stability, high cost, and multistep synthesis. This has necessitated the introduction of novel cost-effective HTMs. Hence, at first, we obtained a theoretical design of tetraphenylethene (TPE)-based HTMs through the Gaussian method, which exhibits a substantial highest occupied molecular orbital energy level as compared with the perovskite. Further, the photophysical, electrochemical, and thermal properties were meticulously investigated with the aid of both experimental and computational methods. In order to enhance the solubility of HTMs in chlorobenzene, the methoxy-substituted phenyl group was replaced with the hexyloxy-substituted phenyl group, and also, the higher extent of solubility is recognized after the functional group exchanges. The power conversion efficiencies of TOHE and TOME are η = 13.96%, Jsc = 21.00 mA/cm2, and Voc = 0.93 (V) and η = 6.83%, Jsc = 13.45 mA/cm2, and Voc = 0.97 (V), respectively (under full sunlight AM 1.5G, 100 mW cm–2 irradiation). Moreover, the synthesis of highly stable TOHE involves a simple and cost-effective synthetic procedure, proving to be the most promising lead for designing efficient organic–inorganic hybrid solar cells.

π-Conjugated Polymers and Their Application in Organic and Hybrid Organic-Silicon Solar Cells.

The evolution and emergence of organic solar cells and hybrid organic-silicon heterojunction solar cells have been deemed as promising sustainable future technologies, owing to the use of π-conjugated polymers. In this regard, the scope of this review article presents a comprehensive summary of the applications of π-conjugated polymers as hole transporting layers (HTLs) or emitters in both organic solar cells and organic-silicon hybrid heterojunction solar cells. The different techniques used to synthesize these polymers are discussed in detail, including their electronic band structure and doping mechanisms. The general architecture and principle of operating heterojunction solar cells is addressed. In both discussed solar cell types, incorporation of π-conjugated polymers as HTLs have seen a dramatic increase in efficiencies attained by these devices, owing to the high transmittance in the visible to near-infrared region, reduced carrier recombination, high conductivity, and high hole mobilities possessed by the p-type polymeric materials. However, these cells suffer from long-term stability due to photo-oxidation and parasitic absorptions at the anode interface that results in total degradation of the polymeric p-type materials. Although great progress has been seen in the incorporation of conjugated polymers in the various solar cell types, there is still a long way to go for cells incorporating polymeric materials to realize commercialization and large-scale industrial production due to the shortcomings in the stability of the polymers. This review therefore discusses the progress in using polymeric materials as HTLs in organic solar cells and hybrid organic-silicon heterojunction solar cells with the intention to provide insight on the quest of producing highly efficient but less expensive solar cells.

Synthesis and characterization of new nanocomposites of [poly(o-toluidine)]/(WO3 nanoparticles) and their application in novel hybrid solar cells

Synthesis and characterization of new nanocomposites of [poly(o-toluidine)]/(WO3 nanoparticles) and their application in novel hybrid solar cells

Challenges and prospects of ambient hybrid solar cell applications.

The impending implementation of billions of Internet of Things and wireless sensor network devices has the potential to be the next digital revolution, if energy consumption and sustainability constraints can be overcome. Ambient photovoltaics provide vast universal energy that can be used to realise near-perpetual intelligent IoT devices which can directly transform diffused light energy into computational inferences based on artificial neural networks and machine learning. At the same time, a new architecture and energy model needs to be developed for IoT devices to optimize their ability to sense, interact, and anticipate. We address the state-of-the-art materials for indoor photovoltaics, with a particular focus on dye-sensitized solar cells, and their effect on the architecture of next generation IoT devices and sensor networks.

Experimental and Theoretical Comparable Study of Pure and Zinc Porphyrin Surface Modified ZnO Nanorod Arrays for Hybrid Solar Cell Applications

Experimental and theoretical study Porphyrin-grafted ZnO nanowire arrays were investigated for organic/inorganic hybrid solar cell applications. Two types of porphyrin – Tetra (4-carboxyphenyle) TCPP and meso-Tetraphenylporphine (Zinc-TPP)were used to modify the nanowire surfaces. The vertically aligned nanowires with porphyrin modifications were embedded in graphene-enriched poly (3-hexylthiophene) [G-P3HT] for p-n junction nanowire solar cells. Surface grafting of ZnO nanowires was found to improve the solar cell efficiency. There are different effect for the two types of porphyrin as results of Zn existing. Annealing effects on the solar cell performance were investigated by heating the devices up to 225 °C in air. It was found that the cell performance was significantly degraded after annealing. The degradation was attributed to the polymer structural change at high temperature as evidenced by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements.

Ag/AgCl sensitized n-type ZnO and p-type PANI composite as an active layer for hybrid solar cell application

Acceptor annealed Zinc oxide (ZnO) based donor polyaniline (PANI) composite was synthesized via in-situ polymerization and sensitized with silver/silver chloride (Ag/AgCl) particles for enhancing the optoelectronic response. The sensitized composite is characterized, and the electron transfer mechanism is explained in detail. The absorbance wavelength enhanced for the sensitized composite is the result of a synergistic combination of annealing and sensitization. Elemental composition revealed the formation of sensitized composite inferred via energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDAX) using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and filed-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). Selected area diffraction (SAED) pattern unveiled the coexistence of the amorphous and crystalline phase. The change in dipole moment and polarizability of molecules was evaluated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy, respectively. Current-voltage (I–V) characteristics proved annealing of ZnO and sensitization of polyaniline composite with annealed ZnO beneficial for current enhancement, which was further validated via cyclic voltammetry in the form of redox reaction current response.

Theoretical studies of CsSnX3 (X = Cl, Br and I) for energy storage and hybrid solar cell applications

Perovskites CsSnX3 (X = Cl, Br and I) are promising for photovoltaic cells and other energy store devices, having high stability and less toxicity (lead free). The present work explored the structural, electronic and optical properties of these perovskites in different phases using generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and modified Becke-Johnson (TB-mBT) techniques. The structural properties of this system depend on temperature variation and selection of halogens, which changes the electronic and optical properties. The calculated structural parameters (lattice constants, bulk modulus, volume, bond length and bond angles) are in good agreement with the experimental values. The results presented in this article confirm that these compounds have direct band gaps, lie in the visible region (1.3–2.9 eV), hence they are more suitable candidates for optoelectronic devices. This study covers the lack of theoretical work concerned to these systems.

Structural, morphological, optical analyses of Ni-doped CdS thin films and their photovoltaic performance in hybrid solar cells

This work reports influences of variation in Ni-doping on structural, morphological, and optical properties of CdS thin films and in their hybrid solar cell applications. X-ray diffraction data showed that increase of Ni-doping in CdS structure caused not only a broadening in CdS peak but also a decrease in the intensity of main cubic CdS peak. Morphological studies illustrated that lower amount of Ni-doping treatment firstly reduced the grain size of CdS thin films, whereas higher concentration of Ni-doping led to bigger grains. The best transparent CdS sample was achieved for 1 at% Ni-doping as 95% at 675 nm. Compared with CdS thin films (2.98 eV), bandwidths of Ni-doped CdS samples gradually increased and reached to 3.39 eV, which is due to the existence of strong quantum confinement effect. Photoluminescence (PL) data of the device demonstrated that the most efficient electron transfer was accomplished at CdS/P3HT interface for 1 at% Ni-doping because this device demonstrated the lowest PL peak intensity. Current density–voltage (J–V) characteristics of CdS-based device exhibited a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 0.296% and it enhanced to 0.663% for device including 1 at% Ni atoms, which is most probably due to achievement of most efficient exciton dissociation between CdS and P3HT layers as approved by PL results. However, with increasing Ni-doping amount up to 3 at% and 5 at%, PCE values were in turn obtained as 0.131% and 0.208%, indicating a deterioration in PCE value of cells, which might be due to the less efficient exciton dissociation at the interface. Further increase of Ni-doping to 7 at% led to an efficiency value of 0.417%, which is still lower than that of 1 at% Ni-doped CdS-based device.

A trilayered organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite material with low bandgap

A lead(II) organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite material [(TMA)2(MA)2Pb3I10] (1) has been synthesized by reactions of 2-thienylmethylamine (TMA) and methylamine (MA) with PbI2 in HI/H3PO2 aqueous solution. The crystallographic diffraction indicated the inorganic moiety in 1 is a trilayered perovskite structure constructed with [PbI6] octahedra, and the two organic amines are located between the inorganic layers, or embedded in the octahedral cavity of inorganic layers. The solid UV–vis absorption peak of compound 1 is located at 600 nm, and the bandgap calculated by DFT is 1.60 eV, both indicating it is a semiconductor and has potential application in organic-inorganic hybrid solar cell.

Nanoscale crystallization of a low band gap polymer in printed titania mesopores

The crystallization behavior of the low band gap polymer poly[(5,6-difluoro-2,1,3-benzothiadiazol-4,7-diyl)-alt-(3,3'''-di(2-octyldodecyl)2,2';5',2'';5'',2'''-quaterthiophen-5,5'''-diyl)] (PffBT4T-2OD) induced in printed mesoporous titania films with different pore sizes is studied to optimize the crystal orientation for an application in hybrid solar cells. The correlation between the crystal structure of PffBT4T-2OD and the titania pore size is investigated with a combination of grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) and grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS). For comparison, poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) is also backfilled into the same four types of printed titania mesoporous scaffolds. Both, lattice constants and crystal sizes of edge-on oriented P3HT crystals decrease with increasing the titania pore size. Similarly and irrespective of the crystal orientation, a denser stacking of PffBT4T-2OD chains is found for larger pore sizes of the titania matrix. For an edge-on orientation, also bigger PffBT4T-2OD crystals are favorably formed in smaller pores, whereas for a face-on orientation, PffBT4T-2OD crystals increase with increasing size of the titania pores. Thus, the best ratio of face-on to edge-on crystals for PffBT4T-2OD is obtained through infiltration into large titania pores.

Basil sensitized ZnO photoelectrochemical cell for solar energy conversion

We have investigated the photoelectrochemical properties of basil sensitized ZnO hybrid photoelectrochemical cell (PEC) for solar energy conversion applications. ZnO thin film was fabricated on indium tin oxide (ITO) coated polyethylene terephtalate (PET) substrate using spin coating. A layer of natural basil dye was drop casted on zinc oxide (ZnO) thin film. The bandgap of ZnO is determined at about 3.29 eV. The protein complex of dye can be integrated with the semiconductor to enhance the light absorption and performance of the device. Natural dyes can absorb the light in a wide range of wavelengths. The photocurrents and photovoltages of the proposed flexible photoelectrochemical cell were measured using three electrode electrochemical method under the illumination of white light. The hybrid photoelectrode has been demonstrated for hybrid solar cell applications and achieved 0.45% energy conversion efficiency. The photocurrent and photovoltage are improved by 1.33 nA and 3.0 mV, respectively. The hybrid electrode also has been demonstrated for photoswitching applications. The basil/ZnO based hybrid devices may be useful to generate solar fuels to meet the energy demand in the future.

Optical band gap tuning and thermal properties of PMMA-ZnO sensitized polymers for efficient exciton generation in solar cell application

Sensitization of Poly (methyl methacrylate)-Zinc Oxide (PMMA-ZnO) composite with different conducting polymers was performed for comparing and observing the enhancement in the optical, electrical and thermal properties of the sensitized composites. Surface morphology reveals the distribution of different conducting polymers over the surface of PMMA-ZnO composite covering the spherical morphology. Crystallographic information from X-ray diffractograms confirmed the synthesis of composite and also the sensitization by unveiling the characteristic peaks for PMMA, ZNO and different conducting polymers such as polyaniline (PANI), polypyrrole (PPY) and polyindole (PIN). PMMA-ZnO composite sensitized with polyindole (PIN) was found to be actively absorbing the visible wavelength of the spectra exhibiting the optical band gap value of 1.32 eV. Current response for applied voltage was enhanced for PIN/PMMA-ZnO along with thermal stability which made it suitable to use as active layer in hybrid solar cell application.

Robust optical and electrical properties of $$\hbox {TiO}_{2}$$-sensitized polymeric $$(\hbox {PANI}$$–$$\hbox {TiO}_{2})$$ nanocomposites for hybrid solar cell application

A polyaniline (PANI)-based $$\hbox {TiO}_{2}$$ -sensitized polymeric active layer was synthesized via an in situ polymerization technique in the presence of ammonium persulphate (APS as the oxidizer) for its use in hybrid solar cell application. $$\hbox {TiO}_{2}$$ -sensitized tubular PANI nanocomposites with an average diameter of $$\sim $$ 50 nm proved to be very efficient for optimizing the optical band gap so as to absorb the maximum solar spectrum. The synergistic combination of $$\hbox {PANI}$$ – $$\hbox {TiO}_{2}$$ (4%) featured the maximum current for varying concentrations of $$\hbox {TiO}_{2}$$ towards current–voltage (I–V) and cyclic voltammetry measurements. Further, the thermal stability was markedly enhanced by incorporating $$\hbox {TiO}_{2}$$ nanoparticles into the polymer matrix as compared to pure PANI.

Hole/electron transport layers in tin-doped SBLN nano materials for hybrid solar cell applications

In this work, layered perovskite SBN was investigated in a new doped form for hole as well as electron transport layer (HTL/ETL) in perovskite solar cells. This work was targeted to conclude the effect of tin doping in lanthanum-bismuth layer SBN on optical energy band gap besides dominant electron-hole transportation to assist in perovskite solar cell applications. Thoroughly hard ball-milled compositions Sr1-xSnxBi1.95La0.05Nb2O9 (x=0.0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2) were prepared by special microwave synthesis to obtain fine (~10-60nm) mesoporous particle network of atomic level substitutions. Microwave synthesis was crucial in modifying dielectric, semiconducting and optical characteristics of prepared SBN materials. The band gap reduced in continuous manner and carrier mobility was increased by 112% for maximum tin doping. Nano particle formation assisted in raising carrier mobility by bridging bigger grains through nano particles. The effect of macro-sized grains and nano-sized grain boundaries on carrier transport were further investigated in detail using impedance spectroscopy.

Enhanced Device Performance of Bulk Heterojunction (BHJ) Hybrid Solar Cells Based on Colloidal CdSe Quantum Dots (QDs) via Optimized Hexanoic Acid-Assisted Washing Treatment

As-synthesized colloidal quantum dots (QDs) are usually covered by an organic capping ligand. These ligands provide colloidal stability by preventing QDs agglomeration. However, their inherent electrical insulation properties deliver a problem for hybrid solar cell application, disrupting charge transfer, and electron transport in conjugated polymer/QDs photoactive blends. Therefore, a surface modification of QDs is crucial before QDs are integrated into solar cell fabrication. In this work, enhancement of power conversion efficiency (PCE) in bulk heterojunction (BHJ) hybrid solar cells based on hexadecylamine- (HDA-) capped CdSe quantum dots (QDs) has been achieved via a postsynthetic hexanoic acid washing treatment. The investigation of the surface modification was performed to find the optimum of washing time and their effect on solar cell devices performance. Variation of washing time between 16 and 30 min has been conducted, and an optimum washing time was found at 22 min, resulting in a high PCE of 2.81%. The efficiency enhancement indicates improved electron transport, contributing in an increased short-circuit current density of solar cell devices.

Surface modification of CBD-grown CdS thin films for hybrid solar cell applications

The influences of interfacial modification by various dyes (Eosin-Y, D205, N719 and N3) on structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties of CdS-based hybrid solar cells are investigated. Structural properties showed the cubic growth of chemical bath deposited CdS thin films. Morphological analysis indicated that CdS specimen had a smooth and crack-free surface whereas P3HT layer coated on CdS thin films displayed spherical grains with nonuniform distribution. According to Tauc’s estimation conclusions, CdS and P3HT layers exhibited band gaps of 2.98 eV and 1.98 eV, respectively. The surface modification of CdS thin films by diverse dyes led to an increase in the absorption spectra of the CdS samples. Photoluminescence data showed that surface treatment of CdS samples by diverse dyes caused a decrease in the luminescence intensity of the CdS-based hybrid solar cells, meaning that efficient exciton dissociation was obtained. All the devices showed an obvious photovoltaic effect as a result of current density-voltage (J–V) curves. Furthermore, the highest solar cell efficiency was achieved for ITO/CdS/N3/Ag device as 0.322%, which could be ascribed to the surface modification of CdS thin films, giving rise to a formation of better interface between CdS and P3HT layers.