Studies of a supramolecular photoelectrochemical cell using magnesium tetraphenylporphyrin as photosensitizer

2013 ◽  
Vol 17 (08n09) ◽  
pp. 733-741 ◽  
Author(s):  
Navaneetha K. Subbaiyan ◽  
Francis D'Souza

Magnesium tetrapyrrole, the natural choice of metal tetrapyrrole in photosynthesis, as a photosensitizer in dye sensitized solar cell applications is performed by constructing solar cells using metal-ligand axial coordination approach on TiO 2 surface modified with 4-carboxyphenyl imidazole and compared with cells constructed using traditionally used zinc porphyrin as sensitizer. Studies involving optical absorption, steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence, and differential pulse voltammetry, suggested that the employed magnesium tetraphenylporphyrin (MgTPP) to be a better photosentizer compared to zinc tetraphenylporphyrin (ZnTPP) for dye sensitized solar cell applications under the employed self-assembly conditions. Consequently, the constructed solar cells using MgTPP outperformed the cells constructed using ZnTPP in all aspects. That is, the open circuit potential, short circuit current, fill-factor, incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency, and overall efficiency of the solar cell were found to be better for the cells built using MgTPP photosensitizer. In order to further improve the performance of the solar cells, efforts were made to increase the fill-facotor by adding polar acetonitrile to the mediator solvent media made out of dichlorobenzene. Moderate additions of acetonitrile improved the performance of the solar cells. However, the performance of DSSC constructed using pure acetonitrile was poor due to acetonitrile competatively binding to MgTPP instead of imidazolde on the TiO 2 surface. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies suggested that the significant decrease in the resistance at platinum electrolyte interface facilitating better iodide/iodine mediation and dye regeneration are main contributing factors for this improved cell performance.

Materials ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (24) ◽  
pp. 4181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariia Karpacheva ◽  
Vanessa Wyss ◽  
Catherine E. Housecroft ◽  
Edwin C. Constable

By systematic tuning of the components of the electrolyte, the performances of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) with an N-heterocyclic carbene iron(II) dye have been significantly improved. The beneficial effects of an increased Li+ ion concentration in the electrolyte lead to photoconversion efficiencies (PCEs) up to 0.66% for fully masked cells (representing 11.8% relative to 100% set for N719) and an external quantum efficiency maximum (EQEmax) up to approximately 25% due to an increased short-circuit current density (JSC). A study of the effects of varying the length of the alkyl chain in 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium iodide ionic liquids (ILs) shows that a longer chain results in an increase in JSC with an overall efficiency up to 0.61% (10.9% relative to N719 set at 100%) on going from n-methyl to n-butyl chain, although an n-hexyl chain leads to no further gain in PCE. The results of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) support the trends in JSC and open-circuit voltage (VOC) parameters. A change in the counterion from I− to [BF4]− for 1-propyl-3-methylimidazolium iodide ionic liquid leads to DSCs with a remarkably high JSC value for an N-heterocyclic carbene iron(II) dye of 4.90 mA cm−2, but a low VOC of 244 mV. Our investigations have shown that an increased concentration of Li+ in combination with an optimized alkyl chain length in the 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium iodide IL in the electrolyte leads to iron(II)-sensitized DSC performances comparable with those of containing some copper(I)-based dyes.


2015 ◽  
Vol 793 ◽  
pp. 450-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Gomesh ◽  
R. Syafinar ◽  
Muhamad Irwanto ◽  
Y.M. Irwan ◽  
M. Fareq ◽  
...  

Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) consists of TiO2 nanoporous coating which acts as a photo electrode, a sensitizer of dye molecules soaked in the TiO2 film, liquid electrolyte and a counter electrode. This paper focuses on the usage of a sensitizer from the Pitaya fruit. Pitaya or commonly known as dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) was extracted and used as a sensitizer to fabricate the dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC). The photoelectrochemical performance of Pitaya based solar cell shows an open circuit voltage (VOC) of 237 mV, short circuit current (ISC) of 4.98 mA, fill factor (FF) of 0.51, solar cell efficiency (η) of 0.70 % and has a peak absorbance rate of 2.7 at 550 nm. The photoelectrochemical and UV-Visible light absorbance performance of Pitaya-DSSC shows good potential in future solar cell fabrication.


2011 ◽  
Vol 415-417 ◽  
pp. 1586-1589
Author(s):  
Yu Hua Dai ◽  
Xiao Lei Sun ◽  
Jing Lian Wang ◽  
Ming Shan Yang

A series of copolymers P(VP-HEMA) composed of hydroxyl ethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and 4-vinyl pyridine (VP) were prepared by a solution copolymerization technique. Based on the copolymer P(VP-HEMA) prepared by the content of VP 50%, the amount of AIBN 3% and the optimized liquid electrolyte, a polymer solution electrolyte with concentration of 9.0% was formed. By addition of 1,4-dibromobutane into the solution, the copolymer gel electrolyte with higher conductivity 6.14mS/cm was prepared. Gelation is caused by the quaterisation between the group of pyridine in P(HEMA-VP) and 1,4-dibromobutane. Based on the copolymer gel electrolyte, a dye-sensitized solar cell was fabricated with short-circuit current of 13.62mA/cm2,open circuit voltage of 0.72V, fill factor of 0.5465 and an overall conversion efficiency of 5.24% under irradiation 100mW/cm2(AM1.5).


2014 ◽  
Vol 1070-1072 ◽  
pp. 616-619
Author(s):  
Wen Bo Xiao ◽  
Jin Dai ◽  
Guo Hua Tu ◽  
Hua Ming Wu

The dye-sensitized solar cell performances influenced by radiant intensity and illuminated area in concentrating photovoltaic system are investigated experimentally and discussed theoretically. The results show that, under the same irradiated cells area, the short-circuit current is linearly increasing with the radiant intensity and the open-circuit voltage follows a logarithmic function of the radiant intensity. And, it is turned out that the short-circuit current and open-circuit voltage are obviously enhanced by increasing the illuminated cells surface area at the same radiant intensity. However, that growth trends will decline with an increase of the illuminated area. The reason is more defects involved in the process of increasing illumination area. All results can be interpreted using an equivalent circuit of a single diode model. A good agreement can be observed from the fitting curves. It is of great significance for current photovoltaic research.


2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 816-823 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Khalid Hossain ◽  
M.F. Pervez ◽  
S. Tayyaba ◽  
M. Jalal Uddin ◽  
A.A. Mortuza ◽  
...  

Abstract Efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) depends on several interrelated factors such as type and concentration of dye, type and thickness of photoelectrode and counter electrode. Optimized combination of these factors leads to a more efficient cell. This paper presents the effect of these parameters on cell efficiency. TiO2 nanoporous thin films of different thicknesses (5 μm to 25 μm) were fabricated on indium doped tin oxide (ITO) coated glass by doctor blading method and characterized by inverted microscope, stylus surface profiler and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Natural organic dye of different concentrations, extracted from turmeric, was prepared with ethanol solvent. Different combinations of dye concentrations and film thicknesses along with different types of carbon catalyst have been investigated by I-V characterization. The result shows that the cell made of a counter electrode catalyst material prepared by candle flame carbon combined with about 15 μm thick photoelectrode and 100 mg/mL dye in ethanol solvent, achieves the highest efficiency of 0.45 %, with open circuit voltage of 566 mV and short circuit current density of 1.02 mA/cm2.


2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hafeez Yusuf Hafeez ◽  
Bala Ismail Adam

In this analytical approach we fabricate and characterized a Titanium Dioxide Dye sensitized solar cell using Doctor-Blade Technique. The samples were given annealing treatment at various time of 20, 30 and 40 minutes respectivelyat constant annealing temperature of 450oC. The device under test (DUT) were tested using a Kiethley 2400, source meter under A.M 1.5 (1000W/m2) illumination from a Newport class A solar simulator.The results shows that at the miscellaneous annealing time, the open circuit voltagesVoc= 0.28V, 0.30V and 0.29V, the short circuit current density Jsc=95.5µAcm-2 , 104.1µAcm-2and 105µAcm-2, the fill factor FF= 0.411, 0.448 and 0.525 and the energy conversion efficiency, η = 0.011, 0.014 and 0.016 respectively.With best results of open circuit voltage Voc=0.30, short circuit current density Jsc= 105mAcm-2, fill factor FF= 0.525 and energy conversion efficiency η= 0.016 was achieved.It was observed that the power density, Fill Factor and efficiency increases with increasewith increase in annealing time.


2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 186
Author(s):  
Biaunik Niski Kumila ◽  
Gontjang Prajitno

<p style="text-align: justify;">Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) with Fluorine deped Tin Oxide (FTO) substrat and nanosize-TiO2 layer sensitized by “dye” ,mangosteen pericarp extract, was succesfully fabricated. Gel-Electrolyte as electron regenerator was synthesized by adding Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) 1000 to electrolyte solution while nanosize-TiO2 was synthesized by co-precipitation method from TiCl3 solution. The crystal size of TiO2 characterized by X-Ray Diffraction is 10.5 nm in size. The solar absorbance of “dye” mangosteen pericarp was measured using UV-Vis Spectrophotometer and it showed that the dye can absorb photon at Near Ultraviolet (NUV) to yellow visible light. Nanosize-TiO2 based DSSC with gel-electrolyte successfully reached short circuit current up to 30.9 μA, open circuit voltage 398.3 mV and performed the long term stability. ©2017 JNSMR UIN Walisongo. All rights reserved</p>


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 483-486 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamal Bera ◽  
Satyajit Saha ◽  
Paresh Chandra Jana

In this work, we have fabricated dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) based on chemically grown ZnS nanoparticles with three different source of dye namely Gerbera jamesonii, Rosa indica and Acalypha wilkesiana leaves extract. Anthocyanin, a kind of natural dye found in the leaves of plants and flowers was used as photosensitizers in preparing dye-sensitized solar cell. The optical properties of anthocyanin present in three dyes were also studied. Morphological properties have been studied by atomic force microscopy on ZnS film as well as on ZnS film with dye. The current-voltage characteristics of the dye-sensitized solar cell had been studied in light condition. The DSSC is characterized by the measurement of open circuit voltage, short circuit current density; efficiency and fill factor. The efficiency of three dye solar cell is different and it is maximum for Acalypha wilkesiana leaves extract dye.


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 3069-3078 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariia Karpacheva ◽  
Catherine E Housecroft ◽  
Edwin C Constable

We demonstrate that the performances of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) sensitized with a previously reported N-heterocyclic carbene iron(II) dye in the presence of chenodeoxycholic acid co-adsorbant, can be considerably improved by altering the composition of the electrolyte while retaining an I−/I3 − redox shuttle. Critical factors are the solvent, presence of ionic liquid, and the use of the additives 1-methylbenzimidazole (MBI) and 4-tert-butylpyridine (TBP). For the electrolyte solvent, 3-methoxypropionitrile (MPN) is preferable to acetonitrile, leading to a higher short-circuit current density (J SC) with little change in the open-circuit voltage (V OC). For electrolytes containing MPN, an ionic liquid and MBI (0.5 M), DSC performance depended on the ionic liquid with 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluoridophosphate (EMIMPF) > 1,2-dimethyl-3-propylimidazolium iodide (DMPII) > 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium iodide (BMII) ≈ 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluoridophosphate (BMIMPF). Omitting the MBI leads to a significant improvement in J SC when the ionic liquid is DMPII, BMII or BMIMPF, but with EMIMPF the removal of the MBI additive results in a dramatic decrease in V OC (542 to 42 mV). For electrolytes containing MPN and DMPII, the effects of altering the MBI concentration have also been investigated. Although the addition of TBP improves V OC, it causes significant decreases in J SC. The best performing DSCs with the NHC-iron(II) dye employ an I−/I3 −-based electrolyte with MPN as solvent, DMPII ionic liquid (0.6 M) with no or 0.01 M MBI; values of J SC = 2.31 to 2.78 mA cm−2, V OC = 292 to 374 mV have been achieved giving η in the range of 0.47 to 0.57% which represents 7.8 to 9.3% relative to an N719 reference DSC set at 100%. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy has been used to understand the role of the MBI additive in the electrolytes.


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