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Photovoltaic Performance (photovoltaic + performance)
Selected AbstractsSurface Design in Solid-State Dye Sensitized Solar Cells: Effects of Zwitterionic Co-adsorbents on Photovoltaic PerformanceADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 13 2009Mingkui Wang Abstract In solid-state dye sensitized solar cells (SSDSCs) charge recombination at the dye-hole transporting material interface plays a critical role in the cell efficiency. For the first time we report on the influence of dipolar co-adsorbents on the photovoltaic performance of sensitized hetero-junction solar cells. In the present study, we investigated the effect of two zwitterionic butyric acid derivatives differing only in the polar moiety attached to their common 4 carbon-chain acid, i.e., 4-guanidinobutyric acid (GBA) and 4-aminobutyric acid (ABA). These two molecules were implemented as co-adsorbents in conjunction with Z907Na dye on the SSDSC. It was found that a Z907Na/GBA dye/co-adsorbent combination increases both the open circuit voltage (Voc) and short-circuit current density (Jsc) as compared to using Z907Na dye alone. The Z907Na/ABA dye/co-adsorbent combination increases the Jsc. Impedance and transient photovoltage investigations elucidate the cause of these remarkable observations. [source] Improved Photovoltaic Performance of Heterostructured Tetrapod-Shaped CdSe/CdTe Nanocrystals Using C60 InterlayerADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 44 2009Yanqin Li Photovoltaic (PV) devices based on CdSe/CdTe-C60 active layers, in which the nanocrystal and fullerene (C60) layers work as electron-donor and electron-acceptor/transport layers, respectively, were fabricated. Efficiencies up to 0.62% were reached in the hybrid cells. The PV performance was greatly improved with respect to that of CdSe/CdTe-P3HT- and CdSe/CdTe-based devices, fabricated as reference. [source] Origin of Radiation-Induced Degradation in Polymer Solar CellsADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 16 2010Ankit Kumar Abstract Polymer solar cells have been shown to degrade under X-rays. Here, in situ polymer photovoltaic performance and recombination lifetimes are measured and it is found that charge accumulation is the primary reason for degradation of solar cells. This is affected by the mixing ratio of donor and acceptor in the bulk heterojunction. Both a quantitative understanding and the physical model of the degradation mechanism are presented. Understanding of the degradation mechanism is extended in polymer donor,acceptor bulk heterojunction systems to propose a material combination for making radiation hard diodes that can find important application in fields ranging from memory arrays to organic X-ray detectors for medical imaging. [source] Enhanced-Light-Harvesting Amphiphilic Ruthenium Dye for Efficient Solid-State Dye-Sensitized Solar CellsADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 11 2010Mingkui Wang Abstract A ruthenium sensitizer (coded C101, NaRu (4,4,-bis(5-hexylthiophen-2-yl)-2,2,-bipyridine) (4-carboxylic acid-4,-caboxylate-2,2,-bipyridine) (NCS)2) containing a hexylthiophene-conjugated bipyridyl group as an ancillary ligand is presented for use in solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (SSDSCs). The high molar-extinction coefficient of this dye is advantageous compared to the widely used Z907 dye, (NaRu (4-carboxylic acid-4,-carboxylate) (4,4,-dinonyl-2,2,-bipyridine) (NCS)2). In combination with an organic hole-transporting material (spiro-MeOTAD, 2,2,,7,7,-tetrakis-(N,N -di- p -methoxyphenylamine) 9, 9,-spirobifluorene), the C101 sensitizer exhibits an excellent power-conversion efficiency of 4.5% under AM 1.5 solar (100 mW cm,2) irradiation in a SSDSC. From electronic-absorption, transient-photovoltage-decay, and impedance measurements it is inferred that extending the ,-conjugation of spectator ligands induces an enhanced light harvesting and retards the charge recombination, thus favoring the photovoltaic performance of a SSDSC. [source] Surface Design in Solid-State Dye Sensitized Solar Cells: Effects of Zwitterionic Co-adsorbents on Photovoltaic PerformanceADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 13 2009Mingkui Wang Abstract In solid-state dye sensitized solar cells (SSDSCs) charge recombination at the dye-hole transporting material interface plays a critical role in the cell efficiency. For the first time we report on the influence of dipolar co-adsorbents on the photovoltaic performance of sensitized hetero-junction solar cells. In the present study, we investigated the effect of two zwitterionic butyric acid derivatives differing only in the polar moiety attached to their common 4 carbon-chain acid, i.e., 4-guanidinobutyric acid (GBA) and 4-aminobutyric acid (ABA). These two molecules were implemented as co-adsorbents in conjunction with Z907Na dye on the SSDSC. It was found that a Z907Na/GBA dye/co-adsorbent combination increases both the open circuit voltage (Voc) and short-circuit current density (Jsc) as compared to using Z907Na dye alone. The Z907Na/ABA dye/co-adsorbent combination increases the Jsc. Impedance and transient photovoltage investigations elucidate the cause of these remarkable observations. [source] The Effect of Polymer Optoelectronic Properties on the Performance of Multilayer Hybrid Polymer/TiO2 Solar CellsADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 4 2005P. Ravirajan Abstract We report a study of the effects of polymer optoelectronic properties on the performance of photovoltaic devices consisting of nanocrystalline TiO2 and a conjugated polymer. Three different poly(2-methoxy-5-(2,-ethylhexoxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene) (MEH-PPV)-based polymers and a fluorene,bithiophene copolymer are compared. We use photoluminescence quenching, time-of-flight mobility measurements, and optical spectroscopy to characterize the exciton-transport, charge-transport, and light-harvesting properties, respectively, of the polymers, and correlate these material properties with photovoltaic-device performance. We find that photocurrent is primarily limited by the photogeneration rate and by the quality of the interfaces, rather than by hole transport in the polymer. We have also studied the photovoltaic performance of these TiO2/polymer devices as a function of the fabrication route and device design. Including a dip-coating step before spin-coating the polymer leads to excellent polymer penetration into highly structured TiO2 networks, as was confirmed through transient optical measurements of the photoinduced charge-transfer yield and recombination kinetics. Device performance is further improved for all material combinations studied, by introducing a layer of poly(ethylene dioxythiophene) (PEDOT) doped with poly(styrene sulfonic acid) (PSS) under the top contact. Optimized devices incorporating the additional dip-coated and PEDOT:PSS layers produced a short-circuit current density of about 1,mA,cm,2, a fill factor of 0.50, and an open-circuit voltage of 0.86,V under simulated AM,1.5 illumination (100,mW,cm,2, 1,sun). The corresponding power conversion efficiency under 1,sun was ,,0.4,%. [source] A Donor,Acceptor Polymer with a Peculiar Negative-Charge-"Trapping" Characteristic,ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 4 2003G. Casalbore-Miceli Abstract Voltammetric and spectrophotometric measurements of poly(3,3,-dipentoxy-3,-dicyanoethenyl-2,2,:5,,2,-terthiophene) (polyCN) films, in connection with other experimental evidence, reveal a normal oxidative, but a peculiar reductive behavior consisting of trapping of the negative charge during the cathodic scan. Another interesting property of polyCN films is the tendency to form strong intramolecular and intermolecular associations, probably charge-transfer (CT) complexes. These properties could account for the fact that the photovoltaic performance does not improve when polyCN is blended with a polythiophene donor. [source] Role of the Charge Transfer State in Organic Donor,Acceptor Solar CellsADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 37 2010Carsten Deibel Charge transfer complexes are interfacial charge pairs residing at the donor,acceptor heterointerface in organic solar cell. Experimental evidence shows that it is crucial for the photovoltaic performance, as both photocurrent and open circuit voltage directly depend on it. For charge photogeneration, charge transfer complexes represent the intermediate but essential step between exciton dissotiation and charge extraction. Recombination of free charges to the ground state is via the bound charge transfer state before being lost to the ground state. In terms of the open circuit voltage, its maximum achievable value is determined by the energy of the charge transfer state. An important question is whether or not maximum photocurrent and maximum open circuit voltage can be achieved simultaneously. The impact of increasing the CT energy,in order to raise the open circuit voltage, but lowering the kinetic excess energy of the CT complexes at the same time,on the charge photogeneration will accordingly be discussed. Clearly, the fundamental understanding of the processes involving the charge transfer state is essential for an optimisation of the performance of organic solar cells. [source] Recent Progress in Polymer Solar Cells: Manipulation of Polymer:Fullerene Morphology and the Formation of Efficient Inverted Polymer Solar CellsADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 14-15 2009Li-Min Chen Abstract Polymer morphology has proven to be extremely important in determining the optoelectronic properties in polymer-based devices. The understanding and manipulation of polymer morphology has been the focus of electronic and optoelectronic polymer-device research. In this article, recent advances in the understanding and controlling of polymer morphology are reviewed with respect to the solvent selection and various annealing processes. We also review the mixed-solvent effects on the dynamics of film evolution in selected polymer-blend systems, which facilitate the formation of optimal percolation paths and therefore provide a simple approach to improve photovoltaic performance. Recently, the occurrence of vertical phase separation has been found in some polymer:fullerene bulk heterojunctions.1,3 The origin and applications of this inhomogeneous distribution of the polymer donor and fullerene acceptor are addressed. The current status and device physics of the inverted structure solar cells is also reviewed, including the advantage of utilizing the spontaneous vertical phase separation, which provides a promising alternative to the conventional structure for obtaining higher device performance. [source] Synthesis and characterization of cyclopentadithiophene-based low bandgap copolymers containing electron-deficient benzoselenadiazole derivatives for photovoltaic devicesJOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE (IN TWO SECTIONS), Issue 6 2010In Hwan Jung Abstract We have synthesized two cyclopentadithiophene (CDT)-based low bandgap copolymers, poly[(4,4-bis(2-ethyl-hexyl)-4H -cyclopenta[2,1- b:3,4- b,]dithiophene-2,6-diyl)- alt -(benzo[c][1,2,5]selenadiazole-4,7-diyl)] (PCBSe) and poly[(4,4-bis(2-ethyl-hexyl)-4H -cyclopenta[2,1- b:3,4- b,]dithiophene-2,6-diyl)- alt -(4,7-dithiophen-2-yl-benzo[c][1,2,5]selenadiazole-5,5,-diyl)] (PCT2BSe), for use in photovoltaic applications. Through the internal charge transfer interaction between the electron-donating CDT unit and the electron-accepting benzoselenadiazole, we realized exceedingly low bandgap polymers with bandgaps of 1.37,1.46 eV. The UV,vis absorption maxima of PCT2BSe were subjected to larger hypsochromic shifts than those of PCBSe, because of the distorted electron donor,acceptor (D,A) structures of the PCT2BSe backbone. These results were supported by the calculations of the D,A complex using the ab initio Hartree-Fock method with a split-valence 6-31G* basis set. However, PCT2BSe exhibited a better molar absorption coefficient in the visible region, which can lead to more efficient absorption of sunlight. As a result, PCT2BSe blended with [6,6]-phenyl-C61 -butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) exhibited a better photovoltaic performance than PCBSe because of the larger spectral overlap integral with respect to the solar spectrum. Furthermore, when the polymers were blended with PC71BM, PCT2BSe showed the best performance, with an open circuit voltage of 0.55 V, a short-circuit current of 6.63 mA/cm2, and a power conversion efficiency of 1.34% under air mass 1.5 global illumination conditions. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 1423,1432, 2010 [source] Polycrystalline sputtered Cd(Zn, Mn)Te films for top cells in PV tandem structuresPHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (C) - CURRENT TOPICS IN SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 4 2004Sung Hyun Lee Abstract The CdTe-ZnTe or CdTe,MnTe alloy system is evaluated for application in high efficiency polycrystalline thin film multijunction solar cells. CdZnTe alloy films with 1.6 and 1.7 eV band gap and CdMnTe with 1.6 and 1.8 eV were deposited by RF magnetron sputtering from targets made of mixed powders of CdTe and ZnTe (25% and 40%) or MnTe (13% and 25%), respectively. Without postdeposition treatment, however, both of these alloy films exhibit quite low photovoltaic performance when used to make cells with CdS as the heterojunction partner. Therefore, we have searched for an appropriate postdeposition treatment to improve the efficiency of these alloy films. As-grown films have been postdeposition treated with vapors of chlorine-containing materials such as HCl gas, CdCl2, ZnCl2 or MnCl2 in dry air or H2+Ar atmosphere. When the CdCl2 + ZnCl2 or MnCl2 vapor was used, the ratio of CdCl2 to ZnCl2 or MnCl2 was adjusted to match the stoichiometry of alloy films. The temperature of the treatment was chosen to represent conditions employed for those alloy films/CdS structures. As a result, the postdeposition treated CdZnTe and CdMnTe cell efficiency can be improved by a factor of over 100. (© 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Sonochemical Preparation of Hierarchical ZnO Hollow Spheres for Efficient Dye-Sensitized Solar CellsCHEMISTRY - A EUROPEAN JOURNAL, Issue 29 2010Chun-Xiu He Abstract Hierarchical ZnO hollow spheres (400,500,nm in diameter) consisting of ZnO nanoparticles with a diameter of approximately 15,nm have been successfully prepared by a facile and rapid sonochemical process. The formation of hierarchical ZnO hollow spheres is attributed to the oriented attachment and subsequent Ostwald ripening process according to time-dependent experiments. The as-prepared ZnO hollow spheres are used as a photoanode in dye-sensitized solar cells and exhibit a highly efficient power conversion efficiency of 4.33,%, with a short-circuit current density of 9.56,mA,cm,2, an open-circuit voltage of 730,mV, and a fill factor of 0.62 under AM 1.5,G one sun (100,mW,cm,2) illumination. Moreover, the photovoltaic performance (4.33,%) using the hierarchical ZnO hollow spheres is 38.8,% better than that of a ZnO nanoparticle photoelectrode (3.12,%), which is mainly attributed to the efficient light scattering for the former. [source] Novel Zinc Porphyrin Sensitizers for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: Synthesis and Spectral, Electrochemical, and Photovoltaic PropertiesCHEMISTRY - A EUROPEAN JOURNAL, Issue 6 2009Cheng-Wei Lee Abstract Novel meso - or ,-derivatized porphyrins with a carboxyl group have been designed and synthesized for use as sensitizers in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The position and nature of a bridge connecting the porphyrin ring and carboxylic acid group show significant influences on the spectral, electrochemical, and photovoltaic properties of these sensitizers. Absorption spectra of porphyrins with a phenylethynyl bridge show that both Soret and Q,bands are red-shifted with respect to those of porphyrin 6. This phenomenon is more pronounced for porphyrins 3 and 4, which have a ,-conjugated electron-donating group at the meso position opposite the anchoring group. Upon introduction of an ethynylene group at the meso position, the potential at the first oxidation alters only slightly whereas that for the first reduction is significantly shifted to the positive, thus indicating a decreased HOMO,LUMO gap. Quantum-chemical (DFT) results support the spectroelectrochemical data for a delocalization of charge between the porphyrin ring and the amino group in the first oxidative state of diarylamino-substituted porphyrin 5, which exhibits the best photovoltaic performance among all the porphyrins under investigation. From a comparison of the cell performance based on the same TiO2 films, the devices made of porphyrin 5 coadsorbed with chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) on TiO2 in ratios [5]/[CDCA]=1:1 and 1:2 have efficiencies of power conversion similar to that of an N3 -based DSSC, which makes this green dye a promising candidate for colorful DSSC applications. [source] Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Based on a Novel Fluorescent Dye with a Pyridine Ring and a Pyridinium Dye with the Pyridinium Ring Forming Strong Interactions with Nanocrystalline TiO2 FilmsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 1 2010Yousuke Ooyama Abstract As new-type donor,acceptor ,-conjugated dyes capable of forming a strong interaction between the electron-acceptor moiety of the sensitizers and a TiO2 surface, fluorescent dye OH11 and pyridinum dye OH12 with a pyridine and pyridinium ring as the electron-accepting group, respectively, have been designed and synthesized as photosensitizers for use in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The fluorescent dye OH11 exhibits an absorption band at around 410 nm and a fluorescence band at around 530 nm. On the other hand, the pyridinum dye OH12 shows an absorption maximum at around 560 nm, assigned to a strong intramolecular charge-transfer excitation from the dibutylamino group to the pyridinium ring. The short-circuit photocurrent densities of the DSSCs prepared by using OH11 and OH12 are 4.33 and 1.74mA cm,2, and the solar energy-to-electricity conversion yields are 1.33 and 0.51,%, respectively, under simulated solar light [AM (air mass) 1.5, 100 mW,cm,2]. The open-circuit photovoltage for OH11 (525 mV) is higher than that of OH12 (444 mV). The effects of the configuration of the dyes on the TiO2 surface and of their chemical structures on the photovoltaic performances are discussed on the basis of semi-empirical molecular orbital calculations (AM1 and INDO/S), spectral analyses and cyclic voltammetry. [source] The use of Ti meshes with self-organized TiO2 nanotubes as photoanodes of all-Ti dye-sensitized solar cellsPROGRESS IN PHOTOVOLTAICS: RESEARCH & APPLICATIONS, Issue 4 2010Yuanhao Wang Abstract This paper reports a simple and facile method for directly growing self-organized TiO2 nanotubular arrays around the whole Ti mesh by electrochemical anodization in organic electrolytes and their application in all-Ti dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Compared with the traditional fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)-based DSSC and the backside illuminated DSSC, this type of DSSC showed advantages such as low resistance, cheap fabrication cost and enhanced sunlight utilization. Different thicknesses of nanotubular array layers were investigated to find their influence on the photovoltaic parameters of the cell. We also considered three types of meshes as the substrates of anodes and found that the cell with 6,openings/mm2 exhibited the highest conversion efficiency of 5.3%. The area of the cell had only a little impact on the photovoltaic performances. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | |||||||||||||