• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2012

We were studied that AZO conductive thin film can substitute for FTO electrode in dye sensitized solar cell. Three types of AZO films were deposited on soda-lime glass(AZO/glass, AZO/AZO/glass, textured AZO/AZO/glass) using RF magnetron sputtering process and investigated their properties of electrical, optical, and photoelectric conversion rate. The textured AZO/AZO/glass has the lowest resistivity of $3.079{\times}10^{-4}\;{\Omega}cm$ among other films. And the optical transmittance rate was better than both non textured AZO/AZO/glass and FTO/glass in the visible region. After manufacturing dye solar cells using the three types of AZO films, the textured AZO/AZO/glass showed the highest photoelectric conversion rate of 3.68% among AZO samples. But the transformation rate was slightly lower than FTO cells (4.52%). However, the conductive film of textured AZO/AZO/glass can be applicable to use an electrode in solar cells as cost-effective products.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.567-567
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• 2005

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.484.2-484.2
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• 2014

There are many efforts to improving the power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). Although DSCs have a low production cost, their low PCE and low thermal stability have limited commercial applications. This study describes the preparation of a novel multifunctional polymer gel electrolyte in which a cross-linking polymerization reaction is used to encapsulate $TiO_2$ nanoparticles toward improving the power conversion efficiency and long-term stability of a quasi-solid state DSC. A series of liquid junction dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) was fabricated based on polymer membrane encapsulated dye-sensitized $TiO_2$ nanoparticles, prepared using a surface-induced cross-linking polymerization reaction, to investigate the dependence of the solar cell performance on the encapsulating membrane layer thickness. The ion conductivity decreased as the membrane thickness increased; however, the long term-stability of the devices improved with increasing membrane thickness. Nanoparticles encapsulated in a thick membrane (ca. 37 nm), obtained using a 90 min polymerization time, exhibited excellent pore filling among $TiO_2$ particles. This nanoparticle layer was used to fabricate a thin-layered, quasi-solid state DSC. The thick membrane prevented short-circuit paths from forming between the counter and the $TiO_2$ electrode, thereby reducing the minimum necessary electrode separation distance. The quasi-solid state DSC yielded a high power conversion efficiency (7.6/8.1%) and excellent stability during heating at $65^{\circ}C$ over 30 days. These performance characteristics were superior to those obtained from a conventional DSC (7.5/3.5%) prepared using a $TiO_2$ active layer with the same thickness. The reduced electrode separation distance shortened the charge transport pathways, which compensated for the reduced ion conductivity in the polymer gel electrolyte. Excellent pore filling on the $TiO_2$ particles minimized the exposure of the dye to the liquid and reduced dye detachment.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.244-244
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• 2007

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.415-418
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• 2014

Phenyltrimethoxysilane (PTMS) was anchored onto the sensitized $TiO_2$ nanoparticles. This insulating molecular layer effectively inhibited the charge recombination at the interface of $TiO_2$/electrolyte in the dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) without sacrificing the dye-loading capacity of the nanocrystalline $TiO_2$. DSCs using PTMS-modified $TiO_2$ exhibited a short-circuit current ($J_{SC}$) of $15.9mA/cm^2$, an open-circuit voltage ($V_{OC}$) of 789 mV, and a fill factor (FF) of 68.2%, yielding an overall conversion efficiency (${\eta}$) of 8.55% under $100mW/cm^2$ illumination. The resulting cell efficiency was improved by ~10% as compared with the reference cell.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.458-464
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• 2014

Light scattering enhancement is widely used to enhance the optical absorption efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells. In this work, we systematically analyzed the effects of spherical voids distributed as light-scattering centers in photoanode films made of an assembly of zinc oxide nanoparticles. Spherical voids in electrode films were formed using a sacrificial template of polystyrene (PS) spheres. The diameter and volume concentration of these spheres was varied to optimize the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells. The effects of film thickness on this efficiency was also examined. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was performed to study electron transport in the electrodes. The highest power conversion efficiency of 4.07 % was observed with $12{\mu}m$ film thickness. This relatively low optimum thickness of the electrode film is due to the enhanced light absorption caused by the light scattering centers of voids distributed in the film.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.146-150
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• 2010

A new type of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) based on a porous type Ti electrode without using a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer is fabricated for low-cost high-efficient solar cell application. The TCO-free DSC is composed of a glass substrate/dye-sensitized $TiO_2$ nanoparticle/porous Ti layer/electrolyte/Pt sputtered counter electrode. The porous Ti electrode (~350 nm thickness) with high conductivity can collect electrons from the $TiO_2$ layer and allows the ionic diffusion of $I^-/I_3{^-}$ through the hole. The vacuum annealing treatment is important with respect to the interfacial necking between the metal Ti and porous $TiO_2$ layer. The efficiency of the prepared TCO-free DSC sample is about 3.5% (ff: 0.48, $V_{oc}$: 0.64V, $J_{sc}$: 11.14 mA/$cm^2$).

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.297-300
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• 2007

In this study, we have attempted a new method to enhance the coloring of dye on the $TiO_2$ surface in the dye sensitized solar cell. In the conventional coloring process in a dye sensitized solar cells, dye is absorbed by the covalent bond between TiO2 and dye molecule while the photo-electrode coated with $TiO_2$ layer is soaked in dye solution for about 12-24 hours. But this process takes long time, so we have researched more effective and faster way than the conventional process by applying electric field. Three kinds of electric power such as direct voltage, alternating voltage and pulse voltage were applied to the transparent conducting oxide during the coloring process. As a result, we achieved improved power, fill factor and efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cell in case of applying direct voltage and pulse voltage. In contrast, alternating voltage tend to reduce the dye adsorption on the $TiO_2$ surface and hence the efficiency. We measured the absorption spectra of dye by UV-VIS spectrophotometer before and after soaking the $TiO_2$ in the dye and found no characteristic change in the dye was observed. In this study, we researched on shortening time of coloring process which spent much time in the whole process.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.119.2-119.2
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• 2011

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) are currently attracting wide spread academic and commercial interest for the conversion of sunlight into electricity because of their easy manufacturing process and high efficiency. The solar energy conversion efficiencies of DSSC are strongly dependent on dye molecules adsorbed on the TiO2 surface which used for photosensitization of sun light, since an excited state of dye could inject an electron into the conduction band of semiconductor. We have developed novel organic dyes which have phenothiazine moieties as an electron donor in their charge-transfer chromophore for application of DSSCs. We had synthesized a series of phenothiazine derivatives which have different wave length absorbing chromophore in the molecule with high molar extinction coefficient. The photovoltaic performance of DSSC composed of organic chromophores with broad wavelength absorption property were measured and evaluated by comparison with that of pristine ruthenium dye.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.8
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• pp.2553-2559
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• 2011

Two novel quinacridone (QNC) dyes with thiophene or benzene-conjugated bridge and cyanoacrylic acid acceptor were first designed and synthesized for use in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The absorption spectra, electrochemical and photovoltaic properties of these dyes were investigated. Under simulated AM 1.5G irradiation conditions, the solar cell based on the quinacridone dye containing thiophene as a bridge unit had a short-circuit photocurrent density of 8.51 $mA{\cdot}cm^{-2}$, an open-circuit voltage of 643.6 mV, and a fill factor of 0.70, corresponding to an overall conversion efficiency of 3.86%.