Indoor Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells with Efficiencies Surpassing 26% Using Polymeric Counter Electrodes

Abstract

The development of high-performance counter electrodes (CEs) for bifacial dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) using nonplatinum (Pt) material is important to prepare low-cost and high-power conversion efficiency (PCE) DSSCs. In this work, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) CEs were prepared by the electrochemical deposition of PEDOT onto fluorine-doped tin oxide substrates for indoor light application. To obtain a high catalytic and high transparent CE, the thickness of the PEDOT film was controlled. Using Y123 dye and cobalt redox system, the cell performance under different light intensities (200−1000 lx) was studied. The results show that the optimal thickness of PEDOT was 90 nm, which can produce higher diffusivity, higher ionic conductivity, and lower charge transfer resistance at the CE/electrolyte interface. Accordingly, PCEs of 23.98% (200 lx), 25.83% (600 lx), and 26.93% (1000 lx) were achieved for a traditional DSSC photoelectrode containing main layer (ML) and scattering layer (SL). For bifacial cells using a newly developed sandwich photoelectrode with the ML/SL/ML structure, the front-side and rear-side efficiencies under 200 lx illumination were 24.16 and 22.45%, respectively, and the rear-to-front-side efficiency ratio was 93%. These efficiencies were much higher than those obtained using Pt CE.

Polymers in High-Efficiency Solar Cells: The Latest Reports

“…As the light intensity decreased, the efficiency of the cells tested increased. Under standard 100 mW illumination, the PCE of the cell was about 2.5% [ 112 ].…”

Discovery of versatile bat‐shaped acceptor materials for high‐performance organic solar cells ‐ a DFT approach

“…7,8 The donor part of an organic solar cell (OSCs) transports electrons towards the acceptor moiety. 9 OSCs provide humans with low maintenance, cost-effective, eco-friendly, and efficient supply of electricity. [10][11][12] The OSCs have been enormously modified in terms of photovoltaic materials being used, size and performance, power conversion efficiencies, optical absorption coefficient, surface morphology, open-circuit voltage (V oc ) values and ease in fabrication protocols.…”

“…The three main components of a solar cell are an acceptor, a donor, and a bridge connecting them 7,8 . The donor part of an organic solar cell (OSCs) transports electrons towards the acceptor moiety 9 . OSCs provide humans with low maintenance, cost‐effective, eco‐friendly, and efficient supply of electricity 10‐12 …”

Molybdenum-Single Atom Catalyst for High-Efficiency Cobalt(III)/(II)-Mediated Hybrid Photovoltaics

“…Nowadays, carbon material-supported catalysts have proven to be ideal alternatives for metal Pt toward the Co 2+/3+ (bpy) 3 redox reaction because of their good chemical stability, electrical conductivity, and pristine catalytic activities. , More impressively, the electrocatalytic activity could be promoted dramatically by the construction of defects and functional groups at the edges of the carbon matrix. − For instance, doping heteroatoms (e.g., N, P, or B) into a graphitic carbon framework is an efficient approach to enhance electrocatalytic performance in energy-related catalysis of practical significance, e.g., oxygen reduction reaction, oxygen evolution reaction, nitrogen reduction reaction and tri-iodide reduction reaction. , The existed local strains within the carbon network, and the additional lone pair electrons of nitrogen atoms could provide negative charges to the sp 2 -hybridized carbon framework. The structural deformation and extra charge in carbon materials can enhance the electron-transfer ability and electrocatalytic performance, exhibiting high catalytic activity toward the Co 2+/3+ (bpy) 3 redox reaction.…”