Fabrication of grid type dye sensitized solar modules with 7% conversion efficiency by utilizing commercially available materials

Abstract

A process to fabricate a parallel connection dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) module has been developed using commercially available materials and screen printed silver grid. The process is not only simple but also easy to manipulate and therefore facilitates researchers in evaluating new materials in a module platform. By changing the design of the silver grid pattern, it was found that the performance of DSSC modules can be controlled. With the silver grid, DSSC modules have shown that a 7% conversion efficiency can be reached. Modules fabricated by this process, but with a non-volatile electrolyte system, passed a 60 C, 1000 h thermal aging test.

Platinum‐Free Counter Electrode Using Polymer‐Capped Graphene Nanoplatelets for Cobalt(II)/(III)‐Mediated Porphyrin‐Sensitized Solar Cells

“…In addition, unlike graphene‐based films fabricated through screen‐printing or drop‐casting, the PVP‐graphene layer prepared in the current study was so thin that the CE remained transparent. This feature renders the PVP‐graphene FTO suitable for use in bifacial DSSCs such as W‐type modules and enhances the possibility to further enhance the optical characteristics through techniques such as the use of a back reflector on the rear side of the CE…”

“…Clearly,w ith an increase in the number of coating cycles, the appearance of the samplec hanges gradually from transparent to semiopaque;h owever, the colors of all samples are visually homogeneous,w hich suggests that the uniformity of the two-step coating methodi ss atisfactory.I na ddition,u nlike graphene-basedf ilms fabricated through screen-printing or drop-casting, [28] the PVP-graphene layer prepared in the current study was so thin that the CE re-mained transparent. This feature renders the PVP-graphene FTO suitable for use in bifacialD SSCs such as W-type modules [29] and enhances the possibility to further enhance the optical characteristics throught echniques such as the use of ab ack reflector on the rear sideofthe CE. [30] Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) imageso ft he PVP-graphene FTOs are presented in Figure 6.…”

Optimum Design of Dye-Sensitized Solar Module for Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Systems

“…Dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSCs) have been extensively studied owing to their application in indoor and building‐integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems . These cells have certain advantages, including an abundance of materials, a simple fabrication process , , low production cost , various colors, high transparency, and a better performance compared with other devices under diffused lighting conditions . Most previous studies on DSCs focus on improving cell performance .…”

Electrochemically Prepared Poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxy‐ thiophene)/Polypyrrole Films with Hollow Micro‐/Nanohorn Arrays as High‐Efficiency Counter Electrodes for Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

“…[17][18][19][20][21] Polymers have been used in DSCs not only as the CEs, but also as ap rotective layer on photoanodes, [22,23] electrolytes, [24,25] and substrates. [26,27] Especially when preparing flexible [25] DSCs and/ors olid/quasi-solid [28,29] DSCs, polymers have been widely used. When used as CE materials for DSCs, conducting polymers such as polypyrrole (PPy), poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), and polyaniline have attained remarkable efficiencies.…”