Performance Of Dye-sensitized Solar Cells Research Articles

Influence of Annealing Duration on the Structural, Optical and Electrical Properties of ZnO Layers Deposited Using the Dip-Coating Method

Zinc sol deposited via dip coating on Fluorine-doped Tin Oxide (FTO) coated glasses were annealed at 450 °C in normal ambient to form ZnO layers. The effect of annealing durations, i.e. 30, 60, 90, and 120 min on their surface morphology, crystallinity, optical, electrical and Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) performance were studied. The XRD analyses indicated the formation of wurtzite ZnO after 60 min of annealing. It is noted that the ZnO layers annealed at 60-120 min showed good crystal quality attributed to its sharp, narrow and strong diffraction peaks. Generally, ZnO layers with uniform thickness have been deposited on the FTO coated glasses. The thickness of ZnO layers decreased from 0.88, 0.78, 0.76, and 0.73 mm when the annealing duration increased from 30 to 120 min due to removal of hydrocarbons from the zinc sol. The O at. % increased with annealing duration, indicating that more oxygen reacted with zinc to form ZnO. The ZnO thin film annealed at 60 min had relatively low sheet resistance (9.6 W) with optical bandgap of 3.04 eV. This suggests that ZnO layers annealed at 60 min have the largest amount of oxygen vacancies that contributed electrons for charges transportation in the layers. Besides, the Room Temperature Photoluminescence (RTPL) analyses showed that the ZnO thin film annealed for 60 min showed IUV/IVis ratio = 0.89, suggesting better crystal quality compared to shorter annealing duration.

Performance of Flexible Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell (FDSSC) Using Flexible Substrate at Different Angles Under Back-Illumination Configurations

Performance of Flexible Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell (FDSSC) Using Flexible Substrate at Different Angles Under Back-Illumination Configurations

Surface modification of platinum counter electrode by amino quinonoid zwitterion to improve the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells

Surface modification of platinum counter electrode by amino quinonoid zwitterion to improve the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells

N-doped lotus seedpods biocarbon hybridized with NiCo2S4 as counter electrodes for dye sensitized solar cells

A facile and green approach to composites containing nitrogen doped lotus seedpods biocarbon (NALC) and NiCo2S4 (NCS) is reported. The composites present excellent electrocatalytic activity for reduction from I3− to I− due to the synergistic effect between the nanocrystalline NCS and the NALC. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) assembled with the as-prepared NALC@NCS counter electrodes (CEs) achieve impressive photovoltaic conversion efficiency (PCE) of 8.58%, which is higher than that by the same structured cell with Pt (7.85%) and NCS (7.53%) CEs. Compared with other NCS based CEs, the NALC@NCS CEs show good durability and stability, suggesting that combining nanocrystalline catalyst with biocarbon is beneficial to stimulate the synergistic effect, and is a feasible strategy to optimal CEs for high performance DSSCs. Low cost NALC@NCS composites developed in this work are environmentally friendly, stable and efficient, which are believed to be good candidates for Pt-free CE materials in DSSCs and electrocatalysis applications.

Π SPACER EFFECT IN BENZIMIDAZOLE- QUINOLINE DONOR CONFIGURATION TO EXPLORE VISIBLE PHOTON ABSORPTION FOR DYE-SENSITIZED SOLAR CELLS

In this study, we have considered a range of metal-free organic dyes with benzimidazole incorporated quinoline donors (BZQ) were designed with the configuration of Donor-Donor-π spacer-Acceptor (D-D-π-A). The impact of various π-spacer groups on their performance in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) was analyzed. The utilization of density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) methods has been employed in the examination of various aspects of electronic and absorption properties. The electronic absorption spectrum exhibits a red shift when the π spacer is increased, at the same time the energy gap between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) was reduced. Theoretical calculations of these dyes demonstrated that altering the π-spacer group can result in several beneficial effects on the photovoltaic performance.

Optimization Thickness of Photoanode Layer and Membrane as Electrolyte Trapping Medium for Improvement Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Performance

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSC) are photovoltaic devices that contain a dye that acts as a solar light acceptor. The use of dyesensitized solar cells to solve increasing energy demand and environmental problems still results in low efficiency values. In this study, optimization of DSSC components was carried out to increase DSSC efficiency by varying the thickness of the titanium dioxide (TiO2) semiconductor photoanode layer, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) trap electrolyte membrane, and polyvinylidene fluoride nanofiber (PVDF NF) to obtain the optimum thickness. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) results of membrane thickness variation and titanium dioxide (TiO2) semiconductor photoanode coating showed the formation of nanofiber fibers composed of three-dimensional, porous, and diameter networks connected to the PVDF NF membrane. The increase in density and decrease in pore size, along with an increase in thickness and cracking as the TiO2 photoanode semiconductor layer increases, affect the electron transport rate of the DSSC. The higher particle density level will inhibit the electron transport rate, so it can reduce the efficiency of DSSC. The optimum thickness of the TiO2 semiconductor layer and PVDF NF electrolyte membrane of 0.20 mm and 0.35 mm can produce values, voltage, fill factor current density, and electrical efficiency of 500 mV, 2.7 x 10−3 mA.cm−2, 1.80%, and 2.40%, respectively.

A theoretical study on third generation photovoltaic technology: dye-sensitized solar cells

A numerical model has been developed to investigate the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) under extreme weather conditions. The main purpose of this work is to simulate the temperature influence on the overall efficiency of DSSCs with a consideration of the voltage loss at titanium dioxide (TiO2 )/ transparent conductive oxide (TCO) interface. Appropriate simulation input parameters are chosen to reflect the extreme winter weather conditions of Fargo, North Dakota. It is found that at the temperature 250 K (ca. -20 °C), the maximum power output is about 23 W/m2 which is about 50% lower than the value at 340 K (ca. 70 °C). The study reveals that low temperature conditions have serious detrimental effects on the DSSCs’ performance.

Improvement of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) performance using Crude Brazilein Extract from Sappanwood (Caesalpinia Sappan L.) with the incorporation of ZnO nanoparticles

Improvement of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) performance using Crude Brazilein Extract from Sappanwood (Caesalpinia Sappan L.) with the incorporation of ZnO nanoparticles

Construction of Cu-doped α-MoO3 nanostructures and their application as counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells

The proposed work was to develop a low-cost counter electrode used in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) for the replacement of Ptelectrodes. Alpha Molybdenum oxide (α-MoO3) and copper-doped α-MoO3 (Cu-doped α-MoO3) were prepared by a hydrothermal technique. The physical properties and performance of DSSCs were investigated by varying Cu doping (0.05%, 0.1%, and 0.2% wt.) with α-MoO3. DSSC fabricated with Cu-doped α-MoO3 was found to be 2.87% (S3) efficiency, which was higher than that of undoped α-MoO3 (1.83%) and platinum (2.51%) as counter electrodes (CEs). The results clearly indicate that Cu-doped α-MoO3 can effectively replace expensive platinum CEs in a cost-efficient manner.

Tailoring the work function of SnS2/SnO2 composites for improved counter electrode performance in dye-sensitized solar cells

Tailoring the work function of SnS2/SnO2 composites for improved counter electrode performance in dye-sensitized solar cells

Improved the DSSCs performance by sensitizing eight natural dyes and varying the annealing process on the TiO2

The use of natural photosensitizers applied to dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) is the key to getting inexpensive and abundant materials for solar cells. However, the low recorded efficiency remains a crucial concern. Here, we investigated and extracted eight natural dyes as photosensitizers for DSSCs intensively. We also studied the impact of annealing on the photoanode’s titanium dioxide (TiO2). First, from the characterization measurements, we found the compound of all the dyes can be utilized in DSSCs, and the performance measurement shows that all natural dyes exhibited great performances as photosensitizers in DSSCs, in which their JSC and VOC values are approximately 0.52–2.88 mA cm−2 and 0.63 to 0.76 V, respectively. The best-recorded conversion efficiency is 4.71%, which was extracted from red gambier fruits. Second, increasing the annealing temperature on the photoanode in our device caused a decrease in the efficiency of the DSSCs. This is caused by the phase of TiO2 changing from anatase to brookite when the temperature increases.

Structural and Optical Characteristics of Multilayer ZnO Nanorod:TiO2 by DC Magnetron Sputtering for Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) Application

The development of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) technology by utilizing various semiconductors has attracted attention. Among all types of semiconductors, the nanostructure of ZnO is selected due to their unique electrical properties and ease of preparation in various morphologies, and it has been considered a promising material to be applied in DSSC. In this research, the DC magnetron sputtering method was used to prepare ZnO thin films as an efficient alternative to press the charge recombination process that occurs in TiO2-based DSSC. Different thicknesses of TiO2 layers on the FTO conductive glass substrate were made through various sputtering deposition times, while the ZnO nanorod layers were made with a single layer using the hydrothermal method. We used XRD, SEM, UV-Vis, I-V meter, and EIS analysis. Based on these characterization we concluded that multilayer ZnO nanorod:TiO2 coating with a sputtering time of 60 minutes resulted the best performance of DSSC with an efficiency of 0.27%.

Optimizing photovoltaic performance of squaraine derivative dyes: a DFT study on different anchoring groups.

In this study, we designed squaraine-based dyes with a 2-amino pyrrole donor unit and acene groups like anthracene and pentacene. These dyes incorporate three different electron-withdrawing groups - cyanoacrylate (A1), phosphonate (A2) and boronic acid (A3) - as linkers to the TiO2 semiconductor. The spectroscopic, electronic and photochemical properties of these compounds were investigated using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) simulations. Compared to the squarylium dye, SQD, the UV-vis data indicate excellent absorption especially for pentacene-based dyes, which extended beyond 920 nm, enhancing the panchromatic effect. The calculated excited-state lifetimes of these dyes were notably longer than SQD, particularly for those containing pentacene and either A1 or A2 withdrawing groups, with lifetimes approximately four times longer. In contrast, boronic acid derivatives had shorter excited-state lifetimes, hindering charge transfer. Simulations suggest all sensitizers can inject electrons into TiO2 and be efficiently regenerated by electron transfer from the electrolyte. The best results were achieved with pentacene and A1 or A2 as linkers, notably A1 dyes achieve superior short circuit photocurrent, J sc, and power conversion efficiency, PCE, with over 50% improvement compared to SQD. Phosphonate derivatives exhibited the highest energy adsorption on TiO2 while still achieving significant open-circuit voltage, V oc, J sc, and PCE values. After surface adsorption, all dyes displayed efficient electron recovery, with HOMO levels significantly dropping below -4.8 eV. Our study demonstrates that computational design can significantly enhance experimental work, offering valuable insights to improve dye design and boost the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells.

Fuel-influenced nanorod-to-nanosphere transformation of vanadium-doped ZnO and its performance in dye-sensitized solar cells

PEG-400 fuel-induced morphology transformation of a ZnO–V5% semiconductor nanostructured material achieved 5.4% efficiency using commercial N719 as a dye sensitizer.

Enhancement of Photovoltaic Performance of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells using Hierarchical ZnO/SnO2 Nanocomposites Synthesized via Hydrothermal Method

Enhancement of Photovoltaic Performance of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells using Hierarchical ZnO/SnO2 Nanocomposites Synthesized via Hydrothermal Method

Effect of metal ions in the electron-transfer mechanism on the photovoltaic performance of SALPHEN-based DSSC: experimental and theoretical studies

Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of metal complexes of Fe(iii), Co(ii), and Cu(ii) with SALPHEN (N,N-bis(salicylimine)-o-phenyldiammine) and their potential application as sensitizers in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs).

Recent advances in the approaches for improving the photovoltaic performance of porphyrin-based DSSCs.

Among other photovoltaic techniques including perovskite solar cells and organic solar cells, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are considered to be a potential alternative to conventional silicon solar cells. Porphyrins are promising dyes with the properties of easy modification and superior light-harvesting capability. However, porphyrin dyes still suffer from a number of unfavorable aspects, which need to be addressed in order to improve the photovoltaic performance. This feature article briefly summarizes the recent progress in improving the Voc and Jsc of porphyrin-based DSSCs in terms of molecular engineering by modifying the porphyrin macrocycle, donor and acceptor moieties of the porphyrin dyes, coadsorption of the porphrin dyes with bulky coadsorbents like chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), and cosensitization of the porphyrin dyes with metal-free organic dyes. Notably, concerted companion (CC) dyes are described in detail, which have been constructed by linking a porphyrin dye subunit and a metal-free organic dye subunit with flexible alkoxy chains to achieve panchromatic absorption and concerted enhancement of Voc and Jsc. In one sentence, this article is expected to provide further insights into the development of high performance DSSCs through the design and syntheses of efficient porphyrin dyes and CC dyes in combination with device optimization to achieve simultaneously elevated Voc and Jsc, which may inspire and promote further progress in the commercialization of the DSSCs.

Effect of UV-absorbing small molecule dyes with different alkyl chain densities and branching positions on the photovoltaic performance of semitransparent DSSCs

To achieve dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) with high transparency, multi-color capability, and long-term durability for future applications across various fields.

Optical enhancement of perovskite solar cells by metallic nano-patterns

The integration of metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) with plasmonic effects is an alternate approach for managing photons and charge carriers, and is considered a promising method for advancing solar cell technologies. Plasmonic-enhanced solar energy harvesting involves three mechanisms: hot-electron injection, light trapping, and modulation of energy flow direction through dipole-dipole coupling. These phenomena have been observed to significantly enhance the performance of silicon, gallium arsenide, dye-sensitized, and organic solar cells. However, for emerging perovskite solar cells, the light trapping effect, specifically, the far-field scattering via MNPs, has been seldom reported. The anomalous phenomenon is primarily attributed to the size constraints imposed on MNPs by the thickness of the functional layers in cell devices. According to the theory of localized surface plasmon resonance (SPR), the characteristic size of the MNPs needs to be larger than 90 nm to achieve optimal photon scattering. Conversely, charge transport layers like NiO<sub>x</sub> and SnO<sub>2</sub> in perovskite solar cells are typically thin, ranging from a few to several tens of nanometers in thickness. Therefore, the community of perovskite solar cells still faces a great challenge in harvesting light through plasmonic scattering.<br>Compared to MNPs, the shape, size, periodicity, and other characteristic parameters of two-dimensional metal patterns within the horizontal plane are not limited by the thickness of the device's functional layer, thus enabling a more flexible regulation of the SPR response band, vibration intensity, and dissipation method of plasmonic energy. In this study, based on the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method and rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA), we systematically investigated the SPR spectra of different metal patterns. The results demonstrate that by optimizing characteristic parameters such as pattern shape, thickness, and periodicity, a significant SPR phenomenon can be observed in the near-infrared region, with scattering dominating over extinction. For the optimal metal ring pattern, the SPR peak corresponds to a wavelength of 772 nm, with relative absorption, scattering, and extinction cross-sections of 0.54, 1.39, and 1.93, respectively. The weighted average absorption of the perovskite response layer in the range of 700-850 nm increased from 53.61% to 65.36%. Correspondingly, the photocurrent density of the device increased from 20.39 to 22.72 mA/cm<sup>2</sup>, and the photoelectric conversion efficiency was relatively improved by 11.45%. This research provides a novel path for light trapping design in perovskite solar cells in the near-infrared region, and serves as a "spectrum-based" reference for SPR regulation in other similar devices.

Lamellar conducting channels constructed by lyotropic liquid crystals as quasi-solid-state electrolytes toward dye-sensitized solar cells

A lyotropic liquid crystal electrolyte (Brij58-LLCn) was developed for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Brij58-LLC50 achieved stable and efficient DSSC performance by forming layered channels that boost charge transfer.