• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.68-75
• /
• 2011

In this review, we have investigated the effect of $TiO_2$-based blocking layers (t-BLs), deposited on a transparent conductive oxide (TCO)-coated glass substrate, on the photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The t-BL was deposited using spin-coating or sputtering technique, and its thicknesses were varied to study the influence of the thin $TiO_2$ layer in between transparent conducting glass and nanocrystalline $TiO_2$ (nc-$TiO_2$). The DSSC with the t-BL showed the improved adhesion and the suppressed charge recombination at a TCO glass substrate than those without the t-BL, which led to the higher conversion efficiency.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2010.06a
• /
• pp.89.1-89.1
• /
• 2010

Since Gratzel and co-workers developed a new type of solar cell based on the nanocrystalline $TiO_2$ electrode, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have attracted considerable attention on account of their high solar energy-to-conversion efficiencies (11%), their easy manufacturing process with low cost production compared to conventional p-n junction solar cells. The mechanism of DSSC is based on the injection of electrons from the photoexcited dye into the conduction band of nanocrystalline $TiO_2$. The oxidized dye is reduced by the hole injection process from either the hole counter or electrolyte. Thus, the electronic structures, such as HOMO, LUMO, and HOMO-LUMO gap, of dye molecule in DSSC are deeply related to the electron transfer by photoexcitation and redox potential. To date, high performance and good stability of DSSC based on Ru-dyes as a photosensitizer had been widely addressed in the literatures. DSSC with Ru-bipyridyl complexes (N3 and N719), and the black ruthenium dye have achieved power conversion efficiencies up to 11.2% and 10.4%, respectively. However, the Ru-dyes are facing the problem of manufacturing costs and environmental issues. In order to obtain even cheaper photosensitizers for DSSC, metal-free organic photosensitizers are strongly desired. Metal-free organic dyes offer superior molar extinction coefficients, low cost, and a diversity of molecular structures, compared to conventional Ru-dyes. Recently, novel photosensitizers such as coumarin, merocyanine, cyanine, indoline, hemicyanine, triphenylamine, dialkylaniline, bis(dimethylfluorenyl)-aminophenyl, phenothiazine, tetrahydroquinoline, and carbazole based dyes have achieved solar-to-electrical power conversion efficiencies up to 5-9%. On the other hand, organic dye molecules have large ${\pi}$-conjugated planner structures which would bring out strong molecular stacking in their solid-state and poor solubility in their media. It was well known that the molecular stacking of organic dyes could reduce the electron transfer pathway in opto-electronic devices, significantly. In this paper, we have studied on synthesis and characterization of dendritic organic dyes with different number of electron acceptor/anchoring moieties in the end of dendrimer. The photovoltaic performances and the incident photon-to-current (IPCE) of these dyes were measured to evaluate the effects of the dendritic strucuture on the open-circuit voltage and the short-circuit current.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2009.11a
• /
• pp.385-385
• /
• 2009

Uniform polyaniline nanofibers (PANI NFs), and chemically doped sulfamic acid(SFA) PANI NFs, synthesized via template free interfacial polymerization process, were used as new counter electrodes materials for the fabrication of the highly-efficient dyesensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The PANI NFs based fabricated DSSCs exhibited a solarto-electricity conversion efficiency of ~ 4.02% while, the SFA doped PANI NFs based DSSC demonstrated ~ 27% improvement in the solar-to-electricity conversion efficiency. The obtained solar-to-electricity conversion efficiency for SFA doped PANI NFs based DSSC was 5.47% under 100mW/$cm^2$(AM1.5). The enhancement in the conversion efficiency was due to the incorporation of SFA into the PANI NFs which resulted to the higher electrocatalytic activity for the $I^{3-}/I^-$ redox reaction.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.55 no.2
• /
• pp.279-282
• /
• 2011

Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC); an alternate energy source harvester has gained some attractive features such as high-energy conversion efficiency low production cost. Dye-sensitizer is a basic component of DSSC, which affecting the performance of the energy conversion efficiency. Current research has been focusing on development of high efficiency, metal-free dye-sensitizers, which would be more environmental friendly. We had successfully explored synthetic route to 6,6'-(1,2,5-oxadiazole-3,4-diyl)dipyridine-2,4-dicarboxylic acid (3A) which has been used as organic sensitizer. Investigation of light conversion efficiency (${\eta}$) of the compound uses standard measurement condition (one sun simulated irradiation, AM 1.5, 100 mW/$cm^2$) showed that it could reach 1.00% ($J_{SC}=2.63\;mAcm^{-2}$, $V_{OC}$=0.64 V and FF=0.59). Under the same conditions, the ruthenium complex (N719) gave the conversion efficiency as high as 4.02%($J_{SC}=10.50\;mAcm^{-2}$, $V_{OC}$=0.67V and FF=0.57).

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
• /
• v.53 no.1
• /
• pp.110-115
• /
• 2016

We prepared a working electrode (WE) coated with 0 ~ 50 nm-thick indium gallium zinc oxide(IGZO) by using RF sputtering to improve the energy conversion efficiency (ECE) of a dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC). Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were used to analyze the microstructure and composition of the IGZO layer. UV-VIS-NIR spectroscopy was used to determine the transparency of the WE with IGZO layers. A solar simulator and a potentiostat were used to confirm the photovoltaic properties of the DSSC with IGZO layer. From the results of the microstructural analysis, we were able to confirm the successful deposition of an amorphous IGZO layer with the expected thickness and composition. From the UV-VIS-NIR analysis, we were able to verify that the transparency decreased when the thickness of IGZO increased, while the transparency was over 90% for all thicknesses. The photovoltaic results show that the ECE became 4.30% with the IGZO layer compared to 3.93% without the IGZO layer. As the results show that electron mobility increased when an IGZO layer was coated on the $TiO_2$ layer, it is confirmed that the ECE of a DSSC can be enhanced by employing an appropriate thickness of IGZO on the $TiO_2$ layer.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
• /
• v.53 no.2
• /
• pp.253-257
• /
• 2016

We added 0 ~ 5 wt% $YBO_3:Eu^{3+}$ nano powders in a scattering layer of a working electrode to improve the energy conversion efficiency (ECE) of a dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC). FESEM and XRD were used to characterize the microstructure and phase. PL and micro Raman were used to determine the fluorescence and the composition of $YBO_3:Eu^{3+}$ phosphor. A solar simulator and a potentiostat were used to confirm the photovoltaic properties of the DSSC with $YBO_3:Eu^{3+}$. From the results of the microstructure and phase of the fabricated $YBO_3:Eu^{3+}$ nano powders, we identified $YBO_3:Eu^{3+}$ having particle size less than 100 nm. Based on the microstructure and micro Raman results, we confirmed the existence of $YBO_3:Eu^{3+}$ in the scattering layer and found that it was dispersed uniformly. Through photovoltaic properties results, the maximum ECE was shown to be 5.20%, which can be compared to the value of 5.00% without $YBO_3:Eu^{3+}$. As these results are derived from conversion of light in the UV range into visible light by employing $YBO_3:Eu^{3+}$ in the scattering layer, these indicate that the ECE of a DSSC can be enhanced by employing an appropriate amount of $YBO_3:Eu^{3+}$.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
• /
• 2012.05a
• /
• pp.789-790
• /
• 2012

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
• /
• 2012.10a
• /
• pp.585-586
• /
• 2012

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
• /
• 2013.05a
• /
• pp.1543-1544
• /
• 2013

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
• /
• 2004.11a
• /
• pp.687-690
• /
• 2004

Fabrication and characterization of dye-sensitized TiO2 solar cells(DSSC) consisting of spray-coated TiO2 electrode, an electrolyte containing I-/I3- redox couple, and a Pt-coated counter electrode carried out, using mainly FE-SEM and solar simulator. Also, effect of rapid thermal annealing(RTA) temperatue on I-V curves of DSSCS consisting of approximately 10m thickness and $5{\times}5mm2$ active area. No significant difference in the apparent size of TiO2 clusters was observed with increasing RTA temperature. Also, an open circuit voltage(Voc) of approximately 0.70V and a short-circuit photocurrent(Jsc) of 8 to 12mA/cm2 were observed in the TiO2 solar cell. With increasing RTA temperature upto 550oC, photocurrent density of dye-sensitized solar cells was enhanced, leading to enhancing the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells having Pt-electroplated counter electrode.