• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2011.10a
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• pp.13.1-13.1
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• 2011

Photoelectrochemical solar cells such as dye-sensitized cells (DSSCs), which exhibit high performance and are cost-effective, provide an alternative to conventional p-n junction photovoltaic devices. However, the efficiency of such cells plateaus at 11~12%, in contrast to their theoretical value of 33%. The majority of research has focused on improving energy conversion efficiency of DSSC by controlling nanostructure and exploiting new materials in photoelectrode consisting of semiconducting oxide nanoparticles and a transparent conducting oxide electrode (TCO) [1-5]. In this presentation, we introduce inverse opal-based scattering layers containing highly crystalline anatase nanoparticles and their feasibility for use as bi-functional light scattering layer is discussed in terms of optical reflectance and charge generation properties as a function of optical wavelength. A new ITO nanowire-based photoelecrode is also introduced and its unique charge collection property is presented, demonstrating potential use for highly efficient charge collection in DSSC.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.7.2-7.2
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• 2011

Photoelectrochemical solar cells such as dye-sensitized cells (DSSCs), which exhibit high performance and are cost-effective, provide an alternative to conventional p-n junction photovoltaic devices. However, the efficiency of such cells plateaus at 11~12%, in contrast to their theoretical value of 33%. The majority of research has focused on improving energy conversion efficiency of DSSC by controlling nanostructure and exploiting new materials in photoelectrode consisting of semiconducting oxide nanoparticles and a transparent conducting oxide electrode (TCO). In this presentation, we introduce monodisperesed TiO2 nanoparticles prepared by forced hydrolysis method and their superiority as photoelectrode materials was characterized with aids of optical and electrochemical analysis. Inverse opal-based scattering layers containing highly crystalline anatase nanoparticles are also introduced and their feasibility for use as bi-functional light scattering layer is discussed in terms of optical reflectance and charge generation properties as a function of optical wavelength.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.06a
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• pp.360-361
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• 2008

A new kind of SBM co-polymer binder as styrene, n-butyl acrylate, and methacrylic acid (SBM) monodisperse co-polymer binder materials basted on $TiO_2$ pastes was synthesized and this $TiO_2$ pastes were applied of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The SBM co-polymer binder was prepared by soap-free emulsion copolymerization using a PEG-EEM macromonomer. The photoanodes were characterized by morphology investigated from field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The photoelectrochemical properties of the thin films and the performance of DSSCs were measured by photovoltaic-current density. DSSC based on the emulsion co-polymer binder was obtained conversion efficiency of 7.1% under irradiation of AM 1.5($100mWcm^{-2}$).

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.282-291
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• 2018

The pristine fluorine-doped $SnO_2$ (abbreviated as FTO) inverse opal (IO) was developed using a 410 nm polystyrene bead template. The nanolayered copper tungsten oxide ($CuWO_4$) was decorated on the FTO IO film using a facile electrochemical deposition, subsequently followed by annealing at $500^{\circ}C$ for 90 min. The morphologies, crystalline structure, optical properties and photoelectrochemical characteristics of the FTO and $CuWO_4$-decorated FTO (briefly denoted as $FTO/CuWO_4$) IO film were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, UV-vis spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, showing FTO IO in the hexagonally closed-pack arrangement with a pore diameter and wall thickness of about 300 nm and 20 nm, respectively. Above this film, the $CuWO_4$ was electrodeposited by controlling the cycling number in cyclic voltammetry, suggesting that the $CuWO_4$ formed during 4 cycles (abbreviated as $CuWO_4$(4 cycles)) on FTO IO film exhibited partial distribution of $CuWO_4$ nanoparticles. Additional distribution of $CuWO_4$ nanoparticles was observed in the case of $FTO/CuWO_4$(8 cycles) IO film. The $CuWO_4$ layer exhibits triclinic structure with an indirect band gap of approximately 2.5 eV and shows the enhanced visible light absorption. The photoelectrochemical (PEC) behavior was evaluated in the 0.5 M $Na_2SO_4$ solution under solar illumination, suggesting that the $FTO/CuWO_4$(4 cycles) IO films exhibit a photocurrent density ($J_{sc}$) of $0.42mA/cm^2$ at 1.23 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE, denoted as $V_{RHE}$), while the FTO IO and $FTO/CuWO_4$(8 cycles) IO films exhibited a $J_{sc}$ of 0.14 and $0.24mA/cm^2$ at $1.23V_{RHE}$, respectively. This difference can be explained by the increased visible light absorption by the $CuWO_4$ layer and the favorable charge separation/transfer event in the cascading band alignment between FTO and $CuWO_4$ layer, enhancing the overall PEC performance.

• Clean Technology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.85-92
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• 2021

A solar water battery is a system that generates power using solar energy. It is a combination of photoelectrochemical cells and an energy storage system. It can simultaneously convert and store solar energy without additional external voltage. Solar water batteries consist of photoelectrodes, storage electrodes and counter electrodes, and their properties and combination are important for the performance and the efficiency of the system. In this study, we tried to find the effect that changing the components of solar water batteries has on its system. The effects of the counter electrode during discharge, the kinds of photoelectrode and storage electrode materials, and electrolytes on the solar energy conversion and storage capacitance were studied. The optimized composition (TiO2 : NaFe-PB : Pt foil) exhibited 72.393 mAh g-1 of discharge capacity after 15 h of photocharging. It indicates that the efficiency of solar energy conversion and storage is largely affected by the configuration of the system. Also, the addition of organic pollutants to the chamber of the photoelectrode improved the battery's photo-current and discharge capacity by efficient photoelectron-hole pair separation with simultaneous degradation of organic pollutants. Solar water batteries are a new eco-friendly solar energy conversion and storage system that does not require additional external voltages. It is also expected to be used for water treatment that utilizes solar energy.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.2689-2693
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• 2012

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and $C_{60}$-encapsulated SWNTs ($C_{60}@SWNTs$) are introduced to Ru-sensitized photoelectrochemical cells (PECs), and photocurrents are compared between two cells, i.e., an $RuL_2(NCS)_2$/DAPV/SWNTs/ITO cell and an $RuL_2(NCS)_2$/DAPV/$C_{60}@SWNTs$/ITO cell. [L = 2,2'-bipyridine-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid, DAPV = di-(3-aminopropyl)-viologen, and ITO = indium-tin oxide] The photocurrents are increased by 70.6% in the presence of $C_{60}@SWNTs$. To explain the photocurrent increase, the reverse-field emission method is used, i.e., $RuL_2(NCS)_2$/DAPV/SWNTs/ITO cell (or $RuL_2(NCS)_2$/DAPV/$C_{60}@SWNTs$/ITO cell) as an anode and a counter electrode Pt as a cathode in the external electric field. The improved field emission properties, i.e., ${\beta}$ (field enhancement factor) and emission currents in the reverse-field emission with $C_{60}@SWNTs$ indicate the enhancement of the PEC electric field, which implies the improvement of the electron transfer rate along with the reduced charge recombination in the cell.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.206-214
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• 2017

SnS films have been prepared by electrodeposition technique onto Cu and ITO substrates using acidic solutions containing tin chloride and sodium thiosulfate with sodium citrate as an additive. The effects of sodium citrate on the electrochemical behavior of electrolyte bath containing tin chloride and sodium thiosulfate were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry techniques. Deposited films were characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM, optical, photoelectrochemical, and electrical measurements. XRD data showed that deposited SnS with sodium citrate on both substrates were polycrystalline with orthorhombic structures and preferential orientations along (111) directions. However, SnS films with sodium citrate on Cu substrate exhibited a good crystalline structure if compared with that deposited on ITO substrates. FTIR results confirmed the presence of SnS films at peaks 1384 and $560cm^{-1}$. SEM images revealed that SnS with sodium citrate on Cu substrate are well covered with a smooth and uniform surface morphology than deposited on ITO substrate. The direct band gap of the films is about 1.3 eV. p-type semiconductor conduction of SnS was confirmed by photoelectrochemical and Hall Effect measurements. Electrical properties of SnS films showed a low electrical resistivity of $30{\Omega}cm$, carrier concentration of $2.6{\times}10^{15}cm^{-3}$ and mobility of $80cm^2V^{-1}s^{-1}$.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.593-600
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• 2021

Herein, a series of g-C₃N₄ modified Bi₂MoO₆ nanocomposites using Bi₂MoO₆ and melamine as original materials are fabricated via sintering process. For presynthesis of Bi₂MoO₆ an ultrasonic-assisted hydrothermal technique is researched. The structure and composition of the nanocomposites are characterized by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and high-resolution field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The improved photoelectrochemical properties are studied by photocurrent density, EIS, and amperometric i-t curve analysis. It is found that the structure of Bi₂MoO₆ nanoparticles remains intact, with good dispersion status. The as-prepared g-C₃N₄/Bi₂MoO₆ nanocomposites (BMC 5-9) are selected and investigated by SEM analysis, which inhibits special morphology consisting of Bi₂MoO₆ nanoparticles and some g-C₃N₄ nanosheets. The introduction of small sized g-C₃N₄ nanosheets in sample BMC 9 is effective to improve the charge separation and transfer efficiency, resulting in enhancing of the photoelectric behavior of Bi₂MoO₆. The improved photoelectronic behavior of g-C₃N₄/Bi₂MoO₆ may be attributed to enhanced charge separation efficiency, photocurrent stability, and fast electron transport pathways for some energy applications.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.60.1-60.1
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• 2010

Chemically functionalized plant oils such as acrylated epoxidized soybean oil (AESO) and maleinized acrylated epoxidized soybean oil (MAESO) were used as new bio-based binders for $TiO_2$ electrodes of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). More porous networks and larger porosities were fabricated on the $TiO_2$ films using plant oil binders due to the larger number of functionalities, in comparison with the film using polyethylene glycol (PEG). The charge-transfer resistance in the $TiO_2$ films was considerably shrunk due to the reduced impurity states. The short circuit photocurrent (Isc) and the open circuit photovoltage (Voc) of the cell using plant oil binders increased and the conversion efficiency improved significantly.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.116-116
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• 2009

$TiO_2$ pastes was synthesized to obtained of high efficiency dye-sensitized solar cells using size dependent co-polymer. SBM co-polymer binder is consist of styrene, n-butyl acrylate, and methacrylic acid (SBM) monodisperse co-polymer binder materials and this $TiO_2$ pastes were applied of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The photoanodes were characterized by ATR-Fourier Transform spectrometer, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and morphology was investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The photoelectrochemical properties of the thin films and the performance of DSSCs were measured by photovoltaic-current density, AC impedance and monochromatic incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE). DSSC based on the 100nm size co-polymer binder was obtained conversion efficiency of 8.1% under irradiation of AM 1.5(100 $mWcm^2$).