Controlled Photoanode Properties for Large-Area Efficient and Stable Dye-Sensitized Photovoltaic Modules

Nowadays, a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) attracts attention to its development widely due to its several advantages, such as simple processes, low costs, and flexibility. In this work, we demonstrate the difference in device structures between small size and large size cells (5 cm × 5 cm, 10 cm × 10 cm and 10 cm × 15 cm). The design of the photoanode and dye-sensitized process plays important roles in affecting the cell efficiency and stability. The effects of the TiO2 electrode, using TiCl4(aq) pretreatment and post-treatment processes, are also discussed, whereas, the open-circuit voltage (Voc), short-circuit current density (Jsc), and module efficiency are successfully improved. Furthermore, the effects on module performances by some factors, such as dye solution concentration, dye soaking temperature, and electrolyte injection method are also investigated. We have demonstrated that the output power of a 5 cm × 5 cm DSSC module increases from 86.2 mW to 93.7 mW, and the module efficiency achieves an outstanding performance of 9.79%. Furthermore, enlarging the DSSC modules to two sizes (10 cm × 10 cm and 10 cm × 15 cm) and comparing the performance with different module designs (C-DSSC and S-DSSC) also provides the specific application of polymer sealing and preparing high-efficiency large-area DSSC modules.

Constructing Supports–Network with N–TiO2 Nanofibres for Highly Efficient Hydrogen–Production of PEM Electrolyzer

Hydrogen production with a proton exchange membrane (PEM)electrolyzer utilized with renewable energy power is considered to be an efficient and clean green technique, but the poor oxygen evolution performance results in high energy consumption and low efficiency. In this work, a strategy is reported for the construction of a support network of the anodic catalyst layer to simultaneously ameliorate its sluggish reaction kinetics and mass transport in order to realize highly efficient hydrogen production of the PEM electrolyzer. After in situ synthesis of IrO2 nanoparticles on N–doped TiO2 nanofibers, the as–prepared IrO2/N–TiO2 electrode shows substantially enhanced Ir utilization and accelerated mass transport, consequently decreasing the corresponding cell potential of 107 mV relative to pure IrO2 at 2 A cm−2. The enhanced activity of IrO2/N–TiO2 could be due to the fact that the N–TiO2 nanofiber support can form a porous network, endowing IrO2/N–TiO2 with a large reactive contact interface and favorable mass transfer characters. The strategy in this work supplies a pathway to develop high–efficiency interfacial reaction materials for diverse applications.