Fiber-shaped Dye-sensitized Solar Cells Research Articles

Winding ultrathin, transparent, and electrically conductive carbon nanotube sheets into high-performance fiber-shaped dye-sensitized solar cells

Highly aligned carbon nanotube sheets, that are transparent, flexible, and electrically conductive, have been wrapped onto a modified titanium wire to produce novel, fiber-shaped dye-sensitized solar cells. The designed coaxial structure offers a high energy conversion efficiency and stability during the deformation.

Flexible, metal-free composite counter electrodes for efficient fiber-shaped dye-sensitized solar cells

Highly flexible metal-free fibrous electrodes are prepared using commercial carbon fiber (CF) and poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene)-polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) aqueous solution. Multiple highly ordered CF monofilaments act as the conductive cores, while the PEDOT:PSS films act as the catalytic shell in the composite fibrous electrode. Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy are carried out to systematically investigate the electrochemical performance, and the results indicate that the composite fibrous electrode is highly efficient in catalyzing I3−/I−. The PEDOT:PSS conductive films also show excellent compatibility with CF and resistance to solvent. The low-cost composite electrodes are used as counter electrodes to fabricate fiber-shaped dye-sensitized solar cells, and the highest conversion efficiency of 5.5% is achieved, which is comparable to the performance of platinized CF counter electrode-based device.

Intertwined Aligned Carbon Nanotube Fiber Based Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Metal wires suffer from corrosion in fiber-shaped dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). We report herein that stable, ultrastrong, and highly flexible aligned carbon nanotube fibers can be used not only as catalytic counter electrodes but also as conductive materials to support dye-loaded TiO(2) nanoparticles in DSSCs. The power conversion efficiency of this fiber solar cell can achieve 2.94%. These solar power fibers, exhibiting power conversion efficiency independent of incident light angle and cell length, can be woven into textiles via a convenient weaving technology.

Influence of Electrolyte Refreshing on the Photoelectrochemical Performance of Fiber-Shaped Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Given the convenient sealing of fiber-shaped dye-sensitized solar cells (FDSSCs), the electrolyte refreshing effect on the photo-electrochemical performance of FDSSCs was studied. The electron transport and interfacial recombination kinetics were also systematically investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. With increased electrolyte refreshing times from 0 to 10, the open-circuit voltage (Voc) and fill factor (FF) increased, whereas the photocurrent density (Jsc) and power conversion efficiency (PCE) significantly decreased. The increasedVocwas mainly ascribed to the electron recombination resistance (Rct, WE) at the TiO2/electrolyte interface and electron lifetime. The decreasedJscand PCE were due to dye desorption and the increase of series resistance. Further investigation proved that Li+played a vital role in increasingVocas electrolyte refreshing and Li+had more significant impact than TBP (tert-butyl pyridine) on maintaining highVoc.

All-carbon electrode-based fiber-shaped dye-sensitized solar cells

A novel fiber-shaped dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) based on an all-carbon electrode is presented, where low-cost, highly-stable, and biocompatible carbon materials are applied to both the photoanode and the counter electrode. The fibrous carbon-based photoanode has a core-shell structure, with carbon fiber core used as conductive substrate to collect carriers and sensitized porous TiO(2) film as shell to harvest light effectively. The highly catalytic all-carbon counter electrode is made from ink carbon coatings and carbon fiber substrate. Results show that the open circuit voltage can be largely improved through engineering at the carbon fiber/TiO(2) interface. An optimized diameter of the photoanode results in an efficiency of 1.9%. It is the first demonstration of efficient DSSCs based on all-carbon electrodes, and the devices are totally free from TCOs or any other expensive electrode materials. Also, this type of solar cell is significant in obtaining bio-friendly all-carbon photovoltaics suitable for large-scale production.

Highly efficient and completely flexible fiber-shaped dye-sensitized solar cell based on TiO2 nanotube array

A type of highly efficient completely flexible fiber-shaped solar cell based on TiO(2) nanotube array is successfully prepared. Under air mass 1.5G (100 mW cm(-2)) illumination conditions, the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the solar cell approaches 7%, the highest among all fiber-shaped cells based on TiO(2) nanotube arrays and the first completely flexible fiber-shaped DSSC. The fiber-shaped solar cell demonstrates good flexibility, which makes it suitable for modularization using weaving technologies.

Flexible conductive threads for wearable dye-sensitized solar cells

Flexible conductive threads were successfully fabricated on cheap insulating commercial thread substrates using a dip-coating method with conductive polymer PEDOT:PSS. The PEDOT:PSS improved the conductivity and catalytic performance of the threads. For the first time, threads were utilized to fabricate fiber-shaped dye-sensitized solar cells with 4.8% efficiency.

Large size, high efficiency fiber-shaped dye-sensitized solar cells

A high-efficiency dye-sensitized solar cell prototype has been designed and fabricated, in which the working electrode and counter electrode are in direct contact and singly twisted. The cell is sealed in a capillary. In this solar cell configuration, the area ratio between the counter and working electrode is extremely low which allows the independent adjustment of electrolyte volume and the distance between counter electrode and photo-anode. Also it is more easily sealed compared to planar solar cell. The effects of TiO(2) film thickness, twisted pitch of counter electrode and length of device have been investigated. Our results indicate that this novel configuration has demonstrated excellent modularization function, three dimensional light harvesting capacities and the relative independence of incident light angles due to the symmetry structure. The power conversion efficiency of one cell of 9.5 cm in length can reach up to 5.41% at standard test condition (100 mW cm(-2)) and the power output may double under intense diffuse illumination. As far as we know, this is the longest and most efficient fiber-shaped dye-sensitized solar cell consisting of liquid electrolyte. The longer the fiber-shaped solar cell is, the more suitable it is for woven solar power textile if it is encapsulated in transparent flexible plastic capillary.