• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.68.2-68.2
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• 2010

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) show great promise as an inexpensive alternative to conventional p-n junction solar cells. Investigations into the various factors influencing the photovoltaic efficiency have recently been intensified. The conventional absorber electrode in DSSC is composed of compacted or sintered $TiO_2$ nanopowder that carries an anchored organic dye. The absorbance of incident light in the DSC is realized by specifically engineered dye molecules placed on the semiconductor electrode surface ($TiO_2$). The dye absorbs light at wavelengths up to about 920nm, the energy of the exited state of the molecule should be about 1.35eV above the electronic ground state corresponding to the ideal band gap of a single band gap solar cell. The dye molecules ar adhered onto the nanostrutured $TiO_2$ electrode by immersing the sintered electrode into a dye solution, typically 3mM in alcohol, for a long enough period to fully impregnate the electrode. However, the concentrations of the dye is slightly changed due to the evaporation of the alcohol. The dye is more expensive than other materials in DSSC and related to the efficiency of DSSC. Therefore, the concentrations of the dye should be carefully measured. In this study, we investigated to the dye loading on fired $TiO_2$ powder as a function of temperature by the TG-DTA and the dye solution by UV-visible spectroscopy after the impregnation process. The dye loading is related to the porosity of the nanostructured $TiO_2$ electrode.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.377-384
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• 2010

Many routes have been developed for the synthesis of signle-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). We spun fibers of SWCNTs directly from vertical furnace using a liquid source of carbon and an iron-contained molecule. The solution was prepared by ethanol as a carbon source, in which ferrocene as a catalyst, thiophene were dissolved. It was then injected from the top of the furnace into hot zone with hydrogen as a carrier gas. We successfully synthesized high-quality SWCNTs by adjusting the various experimental conditions, such as concentration of ferrocene, solution injection rate, concentration of thiophene, and hydrogen flow rate. Measurement of Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were carried out to find the optimized conditions. The synthesized SWCNTs (1.16~1.64 nm) appeared a bundle structure and well-aligned parallel to the direction of furnace. These results also provide an simple way for high-quality SWCNTs mass production and fabricating direct spining SWCNTs fiber. It will allow one-step production of SWCNTs fiber with potentially excellent properties and wide-range applications.