Application In Dye-sensitized Solar Cells Research Articles

Tio2 as the Economically Semi Conducting Layer for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) Application

Tio2 as the Economically Semi Conducting Layer for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) Application

Influence of Graphene on Sheet Resistivity and Urbach Enery of Nano TiO<sub>2</sub> for DSSC Electrode

Importance of renewable energy cannot be over emphasized. Titanium IV oxide (TiO<sub>2</sub>) is the most suitable semiconductor for dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) due to its chemical stability, non toxicity and excellent optoelectronic properties. In this research TiO<sub>2</sub> is coated on graphene to enhance its charge transport aiming to reduce recombination which is a main set back in DSSCs. undestanding graphene- TiO<sub>2 </sub>contact is therefore essential for DSSC application. TiO<sub>2</sub> thin films were deposited on single layer graphene (SLG) as well as on flourine tin oxide (FTO) using doctor blading technique. The films were annealed at rates of 2°C /min and 1°C/min up to a temperature of 450°C followed by sintering at this temperature for 30 minutes. Four point probe SRM-232 was used to measure sheet resistance of the samples. The film thickness were obtained from transmittance using pointwise unconstrained minimization approximation (PUMA). UV –VIS spectrophotometer was employed to measure transmittance. Resistivity of TiO<sub>2</sub> on both FTO and Graphene were of order 10<sup>-4</sup> Ωcm. However, TiO<sub>2</sub> annealed on graphene matrix exhibited a slightly lower resistivity 5.6 x10<sup>-4</sup> Ωcm as compared to 6.0x10<sup>-4 </sup>Ωcm on FTO. Optical transmittance on visible region was lower for TiO<sub>2</sub> on FTO than on SLG, 71.48% and 80.11% respectively. Urbach energy (Eu) for weak absorption region decreased with annealing rate. Urbach energies for 1°C/min TiO<sub>2 </sub>on FTO and SLG were 361 meV and 261meV respectively. This was used to account for decrease of disoders of films due to annealing. A striking relation between sheet resistivity and urbach was reported suggesting SLG as a suitable candidate for photoanode of a DSSC.

Synthesis of MnO2/ZIF-8 for the construction of Pt-free counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cell applications

Synthesis of MnO2/ZIF-8 for the construction of Pt-free counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cell applications

Molecular Engineering Strategies of Spectral Matching and Structure Optimization for Efficient Metal-Free Organic Dyes in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: A Theoretical Study.

Metal-free organic dyes are promising dyes that can be applied widely in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The rational design and selection of dyes with complementary absorption can promote the development of methods that can enhance the utilization of incident light by DSSCs, such as cosensitization and tandem devices. Based on these opinions, the structure of the reported high-performance metal-free organic dye ZL003 is used as a template to design two new metal-free organic dyes, HX-1 and HX-2, by replacing its donor unit with a 2-phenothiazine-phenylamine unit and fusing its three independent π-bridge units into a whole with the aim of driving the red shift and the blue shift of the absorption spectra of ZL003, respectively. Through theoretical investigation, it is demonstrated that the perfect complementary optical absorption of HX-1 and HX-2 can be realized as the shift of the absorption spectra of ZL003 to different directions, which means their feasibility to the application in cosensitization or tandem dye-sensitized solar cells (T-DSSCs). Furthermore, it is hypothesized that HX-1 may be the dye with better photovoltaic performance than ZL003 by modeling their intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) processes, TiO2 surface adsorption, and photovoltaic parameters. The short-circuit current density (Jsc) and photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of HX-1 are 23.10 mA·cm-2 and 21.26% in theory, compared to those of 20.68 mA·cm-2 and 19.64% in ZL003 at the same computational level, respectively. In view of the complementary optical properties, the combination of HX-1 with HX-2 may be a reasonable option for dyes for the development of a highly efficient cosensitization system or T-DSSCs in the future. In terms of such findings, these two novel metal-free organic dyes may have bright prospects in the research of highly efficient DSSCs, and this work can provide a reference for the design of dyes with complementary absorption through simple structural adjustments of the realistic dyes with high photovoltaic performance.

Chemical structure modification of Brazilin-based natural dye with TiO2 nanostructure improves photovoltaic properties for maximum simulated PCE for DSSCs application

Brazilin has been explored as a photosensitizer in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) owing to its easy extraction, abundance, and environmental friendliness. However, its narrow solar spectrum absorption and weak interaction with the semiconductor hamper its wide application, highlighting the need for developing novel dyes for enhanced DSSC performance. This study reports eight designed dyes (Braz 01 ‒ Braz 02tb) obtained via introducing the π-bridges such as benzene, thiophene, and benzene-thiophene linked to thieno[3,2-b]thiophene, alongside a cyanoacrylic acceptor into the sites of two hydroxyl (OH) groups of brazilin dye. The density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TD- DFT) methods were employed to examine the free dyes' photoelectrical, optoelectronic and structural properties. The results show that the absorption spectra of the designed dyes redshifted by 183.22 nm 239.43 nm regarding the brazilin dye. The energy gap was reduced from 5.074 to 2.46 eV. The reorganization energy decreased from 0.951 eV to 0.528 eV, indicating that the designed dyes exhibited better intramolecular charge transfer (ICT). Notably, the electron affinity, electron accepting power, and maximum charge transfer increased from 1.021 3.472 eV, 1.024 8.387 eV and 1.447 4.780, respectively, signifying improved ICT. The exciton binding energy was lowered from 0.591 0.137 eV, implying that all designed dyes possess minimum charge recombination. The amount of charge transfer of the designed dyes (0.286219.051 au) was observed to be greater than brazilin, signifying enhanced ICT. Moreover, the theoretical DSSCs sensitized with designed dyes demonstrated higher PCE than brazilin dye. The greatest PCE of 13.1 % was attained by Braz 01tb dye. Generally, the improved optoelectronic and photovoltaic characteristics observed in all the designed dyes indicate that modifying the hydroxyl group on the brazilin's R1 or R2 location enhances its photoelectrical properties. Therefore, the designed dyes are regarded as superior candidates for utilization as photosensitizers in DSSCs.

Design and fabrication of NiCo2S4@rGO as an efficient Pt free triiodide reducing agent for dye-sensitized solar cell application

Exploiting efficient Pt-free counter-electrode materials with low cost and highly catalytic property is a hot topic in the field of Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). Here, NiCo2S4/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) was prepared via an economical hydrothermal ynthesis route, and the as-prepared composite exhibited comparable electrocatalytic property with the conventional Pt electrode as the counter-electrode. Enhanced optoelectronic, optical and structural characteristics have been attained over the constructed heterojunction. Band gap energy of NiCo2S4 (2.35 eV) was suppressed to 2.11 eV owing to its supporting with 10 wt.% rGO bringing about upgraded absorption of visible light. Electrochemical studies confirmed the synergetic effect of nickel and cobalt ions with the high electrical conductive rGO networks that enhance the electrocatalytic activity of NiCo2S4 nanostructures. The efficiency achieved for the NiCo2S4@rGO counter electrode (CE) based DSSC is 8.17 %, which is remarkably higher than that of pristine NiCo2S4 (7.31 %), and Pt (7.14 %) under the same experimental conditions. In outline, given their innovative synthesis approach, affordability, and remarkable electrocatalytic attributes, the newly developed NiCo2S4@rGO counter electrodes stand out as potent contenders in future dye-sensitized solar cell applications.

Boosting the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells by employing Li-substituted NiO nanosheets as highly efficient electrocatalysts for reduction of triiodide.

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) exhibit considerable potential as a promising technology, particularly when addressing the challenge of replacing the costly Platinum (Pt) counter electrode (CE) with economically viable and chemically stable CE materials. This study examines the use of two-dimensional hexagonal-shaped nickel oxide nanosheets substituted with varying mol% of lithium (1, 3, and 5%) (Li (1-5%)-NiO NSs) as the counter electrode (CEs) for DSSCs. The facile hydrothermal method was employed for the preparation of NiO and Li (1-5 mol%)-NiO samples. The BET analysis of NiO and Li (1-5%)-NiO indicates that higher concentrations of Li1+ ions in Ni2+ ions sites lead to an increase in the overall surface area of NiO. This leads to an elevated number of exposed electrocatalytic active sites which resulted in enhancing the rate of reduction of ions. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) result of 5 mol% of Li substituted NiO (5-LNO) shows outstanding electrocatalytic activity towards the redox reaction of redox mediator among the as-prepared CEs. The DSSCs assembled with 5-LNO CE show an excellent power conversion efficiency (η) of 5.84% with short-circuit current ( of 18.76 mAcm-2, and open-circuit voltage ( of 0.80 V which is higher than Pt-based CE (η of 4.05% with of 10.16 mAcm-2, and of 0.69 V). The DSSCs fabricated with 5-LNO CE exhibit excellent photovoltaic performance because of their high active surface area and enhanced electrical conductivity. The 5-LNO CE has low cost, significant electrocatalytic activity, less toxicity, and superior device efficiency than NiO, other Li (1-3%)-NiO, and Pt CEs, making it a suitable candidate for Pt-free DSSCs application.

TiO2 nanoparticle seeds transformed into nanotubes for effective dye-sensitized solar cell application

Morphology plays a vital role in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) due to their high surface area, dye adsorption and electron transport. In this study, we have designed and fabricated titanate nanotube photoanodes by a simple one-step hydrothermal method. High-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) analysis revealed the transformation of nanoparticles to nanotube morphology. Brauner-Emmett-Teller (BET) method showed the enhanced surface area and pore diameter of nanotubes. TiO2 nanotube photoanode showed excellent energy conversion efficiency (2.38 %), short circuit current densities (Isc) (6.29 mA/cm2), and fill factors (FF) (0.63), respectively.

Effect of nickel oxide concentration on titanium oxide bilayer photoanode for dye-sensitized solar cell application

The mesoporous titanium oxide has attracted significant attention as a photoanode material for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs). In the present work, we coated a planar NiO layer on the TiO2 film to minimize charge recombination with the dye and/or electrolyte molecules. The structural, morphological, elemental, optical, and electrical properties of the TiO2 and bi-layered TiO2/NiO films were studied using various characterization techniques. DSSCs based on N3 dye-sensitized TiO2 and bi-layered TiO2/NiO films were fabricated using PI as the redox electrolyte. The photocurrent density–voltage (J–V) characteristics of the DSSCs were studied using a solar simulator. Various parameters, such as open-circuit voltage (Voc), short-circuit photocurrent density (Jsc), and fill factor (FF), were calculated from the J–V characteristics. DSSCs based on bi-layered TiO2/NiO films showed superior performance compared to bare TiO2 films. The J–V characteristics of bilayer film shows enhanced open-circuit voltage (Voc) ~ 0.56 V, short-circuit current density (Jsc) ~ 2.14 mA/cm2, fill factor (FF) ~ 75%, and efficiency (ƞ) ~ 0.91%. The TiO2/NiO solar cell showed a ~ 28% increase in efficiency compared to TiO2-based DSSC. Hence, the bi-layered TiO2/NiO films have potential applications in optoelectronic and photovoltaic devices.

Enhancing Efficiency of Dye Sensitized Solar Cells by Coinage Metal Doping of Cyanidin-Silver Trimer Hybrids at TiO2 Support Based on Theoretical Study.

Identification of a natural-based sensitizer with optimal stability and efficiency for dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) application remains a challenging task. Previously, we proposed a new class of sensitizers based on bio-nano hybrids. These systems composed of natural cyanidin dyes interacting with silver nanoclusters (NCs) have demonstrated enhanced opto-electronic and photovoltaic properties. In this study, we explore the doping of silver nanocluster within a cyanidin-Ag3 hybrid employing Density Functional Theory (DFT) and its time-dependent counterpart (TDDFT). Specifically, we investigate the influence of coinage metal atoms (Au and Cu) on the properties of the cyanidin-Ag3 system. Our findings suggest that cyanidin-Ag2Au and cyanidin-AgAuCu emerge as the most promising candidates for improved light harvesting efficiency, increased two-photon absorption, and strong coupling to the TiO2 surface. These theoretical predictions suggest the viability of replacing larger silver NCs with heterometallic trimers such as Ag2Au or AgAuCu, presenting new avenues for utilizing bio-nano hybrids at the surface for DSSC application.

Theoretical, structural, and electronic analyses of pyridin-based dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells applications.

The new series of donor-π-acceptor dyes have been designed using pyridine derivatives as a donor group and thienothiophene as a π-spacer group, which were linked via 10acceptor groups. The highest occupied molecular orbital energies range from - 6.177 to - 5.786eV, whereas the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energies range from - 2.181 to - 3.664eV. A6 dye has smaller energy gap, lower hardness, higher electrophilicity index, and good photovoltaic performance than other sensitizers. The lowest dihedral angle is observed in A1, A2, A6, A7, and A8 which are appropriate for intramolecular charge transfer between the molecules. The A8 has higher light harvesting efficiency, which increases the photovoltaic efficiency of the designed dye. The A6, A7, and A8 dyes spend less time in the excited state, which means they emit photons more efficiently than other dyes. The interaction between donor to π-spacer (red line) parts of the dyes has the bonding interaction (positive), and π-spacer to acceptor (blue line) parts of the dyes have the bonding and antibonding (negative) behaviours. The dyes A5 and A9 have 305.79 and 357.71 times higher β0 values than urea (0.781 × 10-30 esu) molecules. The spectral properties of the A6 dye strongly affect the structural modification. The density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) approach B3LYP/6-311G (d,p) basic set were used to optimize the designed dyes. All the calculations are performed using Gauss view 6.0 and Gaussian 09 software. The density of state spectrum is plotted using Gauss sum 2.6.

Innovative microwave in situ approach for crystallizing TiO2 nanoparticles with enhanced activity in photocatalytic and photovoltaic applications

This investigation introduces an innovative approach to microwave-assisted crystallization of titania nanoparticles, leveraging an in situ process to expedite anatase crystallization during microwave treatment. Notably, this technique enables the attainment of crystalline material at temperatures below 100 °C. The physicochemical properties, including crystallinity, morphology, and textural properties, of the synthesized TiO2 nanomaterials show a clear dependence on the microwave crystallization temperature. The presented microwave crystallization methodology is environmentally sustainable, owing to heightened energy efficiency and remarkably brief processing durations. The synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles exhibit significant effectiveness in removing formic acid, confirming their practical utility. The highest efficiency of formic acid photodegradation was demonstrated by the T_200 material, reaching almost 100% efficiency after 30 min of irradiation. Furthermore, these materials find impactful application in dye-sensitized solar cells, illustrating a secondary avenue for the utilization of the synthesized nanomaterials. Photovoltaic characterization of assembled DSSC devices reveals that the T_100 material, synthesized at a higher temperature, exhibits the highest photoconversion efficiency attributed to its outstanding photocurrent density. This study underscores the critical importance of environmental sustainability in the realm of materials science, highlighting that through judicious management of the synthesis method, it becomes feasible to advance towards the creation of multifunctional materials.

Characterization and Application of Natural Photosensitizer and Poly(vinylidene Fluoride) Nanofiber Membranes-Based Electrolytes in DSSC

This comprehensive research has explored the potential of enhancing dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) by harnessing environmentally friendly natural dyes, such as chlorophyll pigments from pandanus (664.1 nm) and papaya leaves (664.0 nm), as well as betacyanin pigments from sappan-mangosteen (536.2 nm). Electrochemical analyses elucidated the energy band gaps, revealing a hierarchy with the smallest band gap observed for papaya leaves (1.387 eV), followed closely by sappan-mangosteen (1.389 eV) and pandan leaves (1.396 eV). This research effectively addressed the persistent issue of electrolyte leakage in DSSC development by introducing a polymer electrolyte derived from polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) through electrospinning and phase inversion techniques. SEM characterization results and thermogravimetric analysis underscored the superior characteristics and high thermal stability of the PVDF nanofiber polymer for DSSC applications. The study's pivotal findings underscore the remarkable DSSC performance achieved with chlorophyll pigment from papaya leaves, reaching 1.31% efficiency without a polymer electrolyte. Moreover, the sappan-mangosteen dye emerged as a promising contender with the highest efficiency values when applied with polymer electrolyte, recording rates of 1.17% for PVDF NF and 0.95% for PVDF, which are notably comparable to the efficiency of liquid electrolyte at 1.26%.

Preparation and characterization of TiO2 nanostructures by changing the parameters of trichloroaniline concentration, pH and annealing for dye-sensitized solar cell application

Preparation and characterization of TiO2 nanostructures by changing the parameters of trichloroaniline concentration, pH and annealing for dye-sensitized solar cell application

Influence of functionalized diketopyrrolopyrrole sensitizer on the performance of CdS nanowire based-DSSC applications

Synthesis of chromophore (E)-2-(2-(2-(5-(2,5-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-3,6-dioxo-4-(thiophen-2-yl)-2,3,5,6 tetrahydropyrrolo [3,4-c] pyrrol-1-yl) thiophen-2-yl) vinyl)-4H-chromen-4 ylidene) malononitrile (DPP-CM-CN) has been designed and achieved in multistep reaction strategy. The experimental, photophysical and electrochemical properties along with theoretical calculations were explored. DPP-CM-CN dye was – chemically anchored on CdS nanowires (NWs) to investigate its influence on the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) applications. Under the illumination of standard sunlight conditions, the photovoltaic performance of DPP-CM-CN based CdS nanowire device displayed a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 0.38 %, which is 3.30 times higher as compared to a bare CdS nanowire (0.115 %) based DSSC device; ascribed to the dye loading time on CdS nanostructures. The present results suggest the potential ability of DPP-CM-CN to enhance DSSC device efficiency and reveal the importance of dye molecules in device fabrication, a key step towards the development of DSSC technology.

In-depth investigation of microstructure and optical properties of tri-phase TiO2 nanoparticles at varied calcination temperatures for dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) applications

Tri-phase TiO2 nanoparticles are synthesized by facile hydrothermal method and calcinated within a temperature range of 450 °C–1050 °C. These nanoparticles are utilized as photoanode material in dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) applications. The device fabricated by utilizing TiO2 NPs calcinated at 600 °C reveals a maximum power conversion efficiency (η) of 3.79 %, with a current density (Jsc) of 7.83 mA cm−2 under one sun illumination among all tested devices. This exceptional achievement is related to the synergistic effect of 49 wt % anatase, 39 wt % rutile and 12 wt % brookite content in triphasic TiO2 NPs. The anatase emerges as the most active phase providing a sufficient surface area for dye adsorption, and in parallel rutile phase enhances the scattering of light that potentially boosts mobility and injection of photogenerated electrons (e-s) from the LUMO level (ELUMO = −3.8 eV) of N719 dye to the conduction band (ECB = −4.28 eV). Simultaneously, the presence of the brookite phase reduces the charge-carriers ((e−), (h+)) recombination rate at the TiO2 photoelectrode/electrolyte interfaces because brookite has an inherent resistance to back electron transfer. The effective light-harvesting capabilities of triphasic TiO2 NPs position them as promising contenders for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs).

Interfacial Mass Diagnostics: Quantitative Perspective on Construction and Mechanism Understanding of Dye-Sensitized, Perovskite and Quantum Dots Solar Cells.

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) and perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have attracted wide attention. DSSCs, QDSSCs and PSCs can be prepared by liquid phase or solid phase, which causes a certain range of interface micro-mass changes during preparation. In addition, the photoelectric conversion process occurring inside the device also inevitably causes interface micro-mass changes. Interpretation of these interface micro-mass changes can help to optimize the cell structure, improve the stability and performance repeatability of the device, as well as directly or indirectly infer, track and predict the internal photoelectric conversion mechanism of the device. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) is a powerful tool for studying surface mass changes, extending this technology to the fields of solar cells to directly obtain interface micro-mass changes, which makes the research more in-depth and opens up a new perspective for explaining the basic principles of solar cells. This review summarizes the research progress of QCM application in DSSCs, QDSSCs and PSCs in recent years, and explores the challenges and new opportunities of QCM application in new solar cells in the future.

Novel Phenothiazine and Coumarin based Sensitizers: Design, Synthesis and Photoelectrochemical Application by Anchoring on CdS Nanowires

Novel metal-free organic dyes (E)-2-cyano-3-(10-(prop-2-yn-1-yl)-10H-phenothiazin-3-yl)acrylic acid (PPC) and (E)-2-cyano-3-(10-((1-((7-methyl-2-oxo-2H-chromen-4-yl)methyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methyl)-4a,10a-dihydro-10H-phenothiazin-3-yl)acrylic acid (PCTC) was synthesized and then anchored to 1D cadmium sulfide nanowires (1D CdS NWs) for application in photoelectrochemical dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). The 1D CdS nanowires were interconnected into a nanonetwork using solution chemistry in a straightforward and efficient manner. The UV-visible spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and density functional theory (DFT) were effectively employed to analyze the characteristics of PPC and PCTC. The sensitizer-anchored CdS nanowires have a broader range of light absorption in the UV-visible spectrum compared to bare CdS nanowires. The complete device has the assembly FTO, compact CdS, CdS nanowires, synthesized dye and counter electrode. In photovoltaic assessment, the PCTC and PPC devices yield 3.19 and 3.04 times, respectively, more efficiency than naked CdS nanowires under conventional sunshine illumination (100 mW/cm2, AM 1.5G). The obtained results provide strong evidence supporting the presence of rising external quantum efficiency (EQE) and show a high level of consistency with the optical tests.

Structural, electrical, optical, and DFT studies of phenothiazine-based D–π–A frameworks for dye-sensitized solar cell applications

Structural, electrical, optical, and DFT studies of phenothiazine-based D–π–A frameworks for dye-sensitized solar cell applications

Experimental optical properties explained by density functional theory of the natural red algae for dye-sensitized solar cells application.

The present study investigates the usage of a novel natural dye derived from red algae of Morocco in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) for the first time. The main pigments responsible for sensitizing the semiconductor TiO2 coatings in the red algae were identified as phycoerythrin, carotenoid, and chlorophyll. The efficiency of a DSSC made from red algae was compared to that of a solar cell made from chlorophyll alone. The photovoltaic performance of the DSSC was evaluated through photocurrent density to photovoltage (J-V) characteristic analysis, and the efficiency was found to be 0.93%. To gain insights into its behavior, the absorbance and photoluminescence in a broad range were studied. Both absorbance and photoluminescence exhibited a broad-spectrum range. Additionally, electronic properties, such as HOMO, LUMO, energy gap, and chemical reactivity parameters, were studied using density functional theory (DFT) calculations.