Performance Improvement of Dye Sensitized Solar Cells by Using a Novel Operation Mode

Abstract:

A novel operation mode is proposed to enhance the photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) by applying an external bias on the back electrode. The measured data shows that the photovoltaic conversion efficiency and open circuit voltage of DSSC are significantly improved by more than 38.8% and 5.8% under the stimulated AM 1.5 sunlight by using the biased operation mode compared to the conventional operation mode without an external bias applied. The improved photovoltaic performance could be attributed to the suppressed back reaction from the recombination between the photoelectrons produced from dyes and the I₃^- ions in electrolyte under the novel operation mode.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volume 665)
• Pages: 615-618
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.665.615
• Online since: October 2014
• Authors: Guo Hui Wang, Zhi Wei Fan, Yi Ran Wang, Yi Hou, Zhe Chen, Li Feng Liu, Jin Feng Kang*
• Keywords: Back Reaction, Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC), Operation Mode, Photovoltaic Conversion Efficiency

References

[1] B. O'Regan, M Grätzel, A low-cost, high-efficiency solar cell based on dye-sensitized colloidal TiO2 flims, Nature 353 (1991) 737-740.

DOI: 10.1038/353737a0

[2] Y. Chiba, A. Islam, Y. Watanabe, R. Komiya, N. Koide and LY. Han, Dye-sensitized solar cells with conversion efficiency of 11. 1%, J. J. Appl. Phys. 45 (2006) L638-L640.

DOI: 10.1143/jjap.45.l638

[3] S. Ito, M. Grätzel et al, Photovoltaic characterization of dye-sensitized solar cell: Effect of device masking on conversion efficiency, Prog. Photovoltaics 14 (2006) 589-601.

DOI: 10.1002/pip.683

[4] AJ. Frank, N. Kopidakis and J. van de Lagemaat, Electrons in nanostructured TiO2 solar cells: transport, recombination and photovolatic properties, Coord. Chem. Rev. 248 (2004) 1165-1179.

DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2004.03.015

[5] K. Tennakone, GRRA. Kumara, IRM, Kottegoda and VPS, Perera, An efficient dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical solar cell made from oxides of tin and zinc, Chem. Commun. 1 (1999) 15-16.

DOI: 10.1039/a806801a

[6] P. Wang, Zakeeruddin, SM, P. Comte, R. Charvet. R. Humphry-Baker and M. Grätzel, Ehance the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells by Co-grafting amphiphilic sensitizer and hexadecylmalonic acid on TiO2 nanocrystals, J. Phys. Chem. B 107 (2003).

DOI: 10.1021/jp0365965

[7] BA. Gregg, F. Pichot, S. Ferrere and CL. Fieldes, Interfacial recombination processes in dye-sensized solar cells and methods to passivate the interfaces, J. Phys. Chem. B, 105 (2001) 1422-1429.

DOI: 10.1021/jp003000u

[8] Han liyuan, Koide Naoki, Fukui Atsushi, Fuke Nobuhiro, Yamanaka Ryohsuke, High Efficiency of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell and Module, Proc. 4th Photovolatic Energy Conversion World Conference(WCPEC-4, Waikoloa) (2006) 179-182.

DOI: 10.1109/wcpec.2006.279411