• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2008.05a
• /
• pp.422-424
• /
• 2008

A serious problem of the 21st century is the supply of energy resources. Reserves of fossil fuels are facing depletion: renewable energy resources must be developed in this era. Dye sensitizedsolar cells(DSC) have been very economical and easy method to convert solar energy to electricity. DSC can reach low costs in future outdoor power applications. However, to commercialize the DSC, there are still many shortages to overcome. When the DSC is commercialized in the near future, the productivity is an important factor. In the process of soaking in a dye, it usually takes $12\sim24$ hours. In this study, we varied the dye coloring temperature from $0^{\circ}C$ to $60^{\circ}C$. At the temperature of $40^{\circ}C$, DSC cell showed the best performance. We also expect the reduction of the time soaking in a dye. Counter electrode surface of DSC is deposited by RF magnetron sputtering under the conditions of Ar $2.8{\times}10^{-3}$ torr, RF power of 120W and substrate temperature of $100^{\circ}C$.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.33 no.5
• /
• pp.1480-1484
• /
• 2012

We report a series of novel imidazolium iodides based ionic liquids (NMIPHI, NAIPHI, and NBIPHI) with different functional groups for the development of a quasi-solid type electrolyte for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The diffusion coefficients of redox ions ($I^-$ and $I_3{^-}$) are dependent on the molecular weight and it was higher for lighter salts. Among the three ionic liquids, NMIPHI showed highest efficiency of 4.18% when it was used in a liquid electrolyte of a DSSC with $ca$. 6 ${\mu}m$ thick $TiO_2$ mesoporous film. Even though the efficiency was $ca$. 19% lower than that obtained from a liquid electrolyte composed of PMII. When NMIPHI was mixed with PMII with a molar ratio of 1:1 in a solvent free electrolyte, the efficiency of the DSSCs was enhanced compared to that based on pristine PMII.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.33 no.9
• /
• pp.3043-3047
• /
• 2012

To investigate the scattering layer effect of a $TiO_2$ multilayer in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), we designed a new DSSC system, assembled with a CdS-$TiO_2$ scattering layer electrode. A high-magnification SEM image exhibited hollyhock-like particles with a width of 1.5-2.0 ${\mu}m$ that were aggregated into 10-nm clumps in a hexagonal petal shape. The efficiency was higher in the DSSC assembled with a CdS-$TiO_2$ scattering layer than in the DSSC assembled with $TiO_2$-only layers, due to the decreased resistance in electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The short-circuit current density ($J_{sc}$) was increased by approximately 7.26% and the open-circuit voltage ($V_{oc}$) by 2.44% over the 1.0 wt % CdS-$TiO_2$ composite scattering layer and the incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) in the maximum peak was also enhanced by about 5.0%, compared to the DSSC assembled without the CdS-$TiO_2$scattering layer.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2011.05a
• /
• pp.118.2-118.2
• /
• 2011

In order to increase the energy conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), we employed a counter electrode that was platinum coated using a doctor blade technique on synthesized ZnO nanostructures on fluorinedoped tin oxide (FTO). The ZnO nanostructures possessing high electrochemical activity and large surface area of the counter electrode were grown by a chemical bath deposition (CBD) method at various times, 2, 4, and 8 h. The efficiency of DSSC with the Pt-ZnO counter electrode was improved 7.01% (grown for 2 h), 7.63% (grown for 4 h), and 6.13% (grown for 8 h), respectively. Compared with a standard DSSC without ZnO nanostructures, whose efficiency was 6.27%, the energy conversion efficiency increased approximately 22% for the DSSC with the Pt-ZnO (grown for 4 h) electrode. It indicates that the Pt coated on the ZnO nanostructure improves the electrocatalytic activity of the counter electrode.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2011.05a
• /
• pp.239.1-239.1
• /
• 2011

Dye sensitized solar cells (DSC) are promising devices for inexpensive, nontoxic, transparent, and large-scale solar energy conversion. Generally thick $TiO_2$ nanoporous films act as efficient photoanodes with their large surface area for absorbing light. However, electron transport through nanoparticle networks causes the slowdown and the loss of electron transport because of a number of interparticle boundaries inside the conduction path. We have studied DSCs with precisely dimension-controlled $TiO_2$ nanotubes array as photoanode. $TiO_2$ nanotubes array is prepared by template-directed fabrication method with atomic layer deposition. Well-ordered nanotubes array provides not only large surface area for light absorbing but also direct pathway for electrons with minimalized grain boundaries. Large enlongated anatase grains in the nanotubes could enhance the conductivity of electrons, but also suppress the recombination with holes through defect sites during diffusion into the electrode. To study the effect of grain boundaries, we fabricated two kinds of nanotubes which have different grain sizes by controlling deposition conditions. And we studied electron conduction through two kinds of nanotubes with different grain structures. The solar cell performance was studied as a function of thickness and grain structures. And overall solar-to-electric energy conversion efficiencies of up to 7% were obtained.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
• /
• v.2 no.3
• /
• pp.124-129
• /
• 2014

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are considered as promising alternatives to conventional photovoltaic device. However, commercialization of the DSSCs is restricted due to the low efficiency. In this paper, highly efficiency DSSCs were fabricated by the adding the TBA to the $TiO_2$ paste. $TiO_2$ photoanode added 0.2 M TBA in DSSCs are shown the best efficiency of 9.14 %. This result ascribed to improvement of the connection between the $TiO_2$ nanoparticles by the addition of the optimized amount TBA. The morphology of the photoanode was observed by FE-SEM. Further investigation about the kinetics of the electrochemical processes are performed by the EIS analysis. Longest diffusion length was obtained in case adding 0.2 M of TBA to $TiO_2$ paste, which was matched well with the improved efficiency.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
• /
• v.1 no.2
• /
• pp.75-80
• /
• 2010

We report Co-tetramethoxyphenylporphyrin on carbon particles (Co-TMPP/C) as a non-Pt catalyst for tri-iodide reduction in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The presence of well-dispersed carbon and cobalt source in the catalyst surface is confirmed by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. In the C 1s, Co 2p, and N 1s peaks measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the C-N, Co-$N_4$, and N-C are assigned to the component at 285.7, 781.8, and 401 eV, respectively. Especially, the Co-TMPP/C shows improved current density, diffusion coefficient, and charge-transfer resistance in the ${I_3}^-/I^-$ redox reaction compared to conventional catalysts. Furthermore, in the DSSCs performance, the Co-TMPP/C shows increased short circuit current density, higher open circuit voltage, and improved cell efficieny in comparison with Pt/C.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
• /
• v.29 no.12
• /
• pp.814-818
• /
• 2016

DSSCs (dye-sensitized solar cells) based on $TiO_2/SiO_2$ multi layer AR (anti-reflection) coating on the outer glass FTO (fluorine-doped tin oxide) substrate are investigated. We have coated an AR layer on the surface of a DSSCs device by using an IAD (ion beam-assisted deposition) system and investigated the effects of the AR layer by measuring photovoltaic performance. Compared to the pure FTO substrate, the multi layer AR coating increased the total transmittance from 67.4 to 72.9% at 530 nm of wavelength. The main enhancement of solar conversion efficiency is attributed to the reduction of light reflection at the FTO substrate surface. This leads to the increase of Jsc and the efficiency improvement of DSSCs.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
• /
• v.58 no.2
• /
• pp.327-331
• /
• 2009

Nano-porous $TiO_2$ powder was fabricated using Acetylene black, applied photo voltaic device based on the Dye-sensitized Solar Cells (DSCs) was investigated experimentally. $TiO_2$-powder was fabricated using Ti-isopropoxide and 2-propanol by sol-gel combustion method. For cases of variable Acetylene black, characteristic of porosity, size of particle and crystallite of obtained $TiO_2$ nano-powder was investigated. The photovoltaic efficiency of the prepared DSCs was measured using $TiO_2$ film which prepared on each different heat treatment temperature($400^{\circ}C{\sim}700^{\circ}C$) with paste of $TiO_2$ powder. The porosity and size of particle of $TiO_2$ powder made with Acetylene black 0.4g was influenced significantly effect to DSCs characteristic. Heat treatment at $500^{\circ}C$ makes the better photovoltaic efficiency which 5.02%($J_{sc}=11.79mA/cm^2$, $V_{oc}=0.73V$, ff=0.58). The sol-gel combustion method was useful to DSCs fabrication.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.33 no.12
• /
• pp.4093-4097
• /
• 2012

We introduced a new UV-cured resin polymer gel as an electrolyte for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) that is cured with UV irradiation to form a thin film of UV-cured resin polymer gel in the cells. The gel film was characterized and its potential for use as an electrolyte in DSSCs was investigated. This new UV-cured resin polymer gel was successfully applied as a gel polymer electrolyte in DSSCs overcoming the problems associated with the liquid electrolytes in typical DSSCs. The effect of ${\gamma}$-butylrolactone (GBL) on the long-term stability and photovoltaic performance in DSSCs using this UV-cured resin polymer gel electrolyte was also investigated. The results of the energy conversion efficiency, ionic conductivity and Raman spectra of the UV-cured resin polymer gel electrolyte with the addition of 6 wt % GBL to the UV-cured resin polymer electrolyte showed good long-term stability and photovoltaic performance for the DSSCs with the UV-cured polymer gel electrolyte.