Development of Solid-State Photo-Supercapacitor by Coupling Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Utilizing Conducting Polymer Charge Relay with Proton-Conducting Membrane Based Electrochemical Capacitor

Abstract

An important issue in solar cell technology is the storage of generated electrical energy for later use. In this respect supercapacitors, as compared to batteries and electrolysis cells, offer the advantage of long-term stability and relatively low energy loss in the charge-discharge cycle. In this study, ruthenium oxide has been selected as charge storage material for coupled (integrated) dye-sensitized solar cell and supercapacitor system hereinafter called as three electrode configuration. Organic D35 dye was used to sensitize TiO2 photoanode and a conducting polymer, (poly-(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) served as hole conductor. The photovoltaic part was separated from charge storage material by utilizing a thin layer of vapour evaporated silver. The specific capacitance, power density, coulombic and energy conversion efficiency of the hybrid cell was analyzed. The system was compared to that of our previous reports, i.e. two electrode configuration built of N719 dye modified TiO2 and poly (3,4-ethylenodioxythiophene)/carbon nanotubes composite as charge storage material.

A solid-state integrated photo-supercapacitor based on ZnO nanorod arrays decorated with Ag2S quantum dots as the photoanode and a PEDOT charge storage counter-electrode

“…The device was totally photocharged to a nal work potential of 0.33 V in 40 s and the process was maintained for 600 s consistently. The voltage achieved is higher than those of other photocapacitors composed of two electrodes 54,55 and even with three electrodes reported in the literature. 56 The photocharge time was lower than that reported in another study, 57 which was higher than 2000 s. Aer photocharge, the device was discharged at 4 mA cm À2 in a discharge time of 55 s, at 40 mA cm À2 in 2 s and at 400 mA cm À2 in 1 s. As expected, the discharge time decreased with the applied current density, achieving 100 s for the lowest value of current density.…”

Cosensitization of Structurally Simple Porphyrin and Anthracene-Based Dye for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

“…Generally, the illuminance of light under indoor, rainy, and cloudy environment varies between 300 and 20 000 lx. Aforementioned P out of DSC under indoor light indicates that it could power the devices for IoTs and WNSs. , …”

“…Aforementioned P out of DSC under indoor light indicates that it could power the devices for IoTs and WNSs. 17,18 In DSCs, sensitizers and redox couples are the key components that share nearly 33.59% of total research conducted in DSCs. 19 Sensitizers such as ruthenium complexes, 20 Zn porphyrins, 2 perylenes, 21 and anthracenes 9 have been shown to be excellent performers, thanks to their intriguing properties such as metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT), high molar absorption coefficient (ε), and strong absorption at visible and near-infrared regions (NIR).…”

Recent Advances in Dual‐Functional Devices Integrating Solar Cells and Supercapacitors

“…Although double‐electrode DSSCPSs successfully accomplish the integration of the dual‐functions of PC and ES into a single device, they have several obvious problems. For example, during the discharge process, the electrons accumulated on the surface of the counter electrode need to go through the TiO 2 layer with a Schottky barrier, in order to reach the activated carbon of the photoelectrode, which hinders the discharge behavior . Moreover, because the PC part in a double‐electrode DSSCPS uses liquid‐phase I − /I 3 − redox electrolyte, the iodine ions within the TiO 2 nanoparticles can easily enter the electrolyte of the ES part of the DSSCPS, resulting in a short‐circuit or self‐discharging .…”

“…For example, during the discharge process, the electrons accumulated on the surface of the counter electrode need to go through the TiO 2 layer with a Schottky barrier, in order to reach the activated carbon of the photoelectrode, which hinders the discharge behavior . Moreover, because the PC part in a double‐electrode DSSCPS uses liquid‐phase I − /I 3 − redox electrolyte, the iodine ions within the TiO 2 nanoparticles can easily enter the electrolyte of the ES part of the DSSCPS, resulting in a short‐circuit or self‐discharging . This phenomenon was first discovered by Hagfeldt et al, who designed a double‐electrode DSSCPS using lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate (LiCF 3 SO 3 )/propylene carbonate solution as the electrolyte.…”