• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제33권5호
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• pp.1480-1484
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• 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.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• 제1권2호
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• pp.75-80
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• 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.

• 한국전기전자재료학회논문지
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• 제22권6호
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• pp.501-505
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• 2009

$TiO_2$ nano-particle paste was prepared by ethyl cellulose, $\alpha$-terpineol and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (dioxcyl phthalate) for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Dispersion and absorbance of $TiO_2$ photoanode films was controlled by adding different amount of ethyl cellulose and $\alpha$-terpineol. The morphology of prepared $TiO_2$ films was studied by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and the optical properties of $TiO_2$ films were measured by UV/vis spectra. Photovoltaic-current density was observed to determine the electrochemical response of DSSCs. Energy conversion efficiency was obtained about 7.1% at ethyl cellulose and $\alpha$-terpineol at optimal mixed ratio (as ethyl cellulose: 0.1 g; $\alpha$-terpineol: 1.5 ml) under illumination with AM 1.5($100\;Wcm^{-2}$) simulated sunlight.

• 한국전기전자재료학회논문지
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• 제20권4호
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• pp.337-341
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• 2007

In this paper, we studied counter electrodes that carbon materials is used for dye-sensitized solar cells. Carbon electrodes characterized by changing of CMC wt. %. We investigated a porous structure of electrodes and a specific resistance of carbon electrodes for identification of electric conductivity. The specific resistance of carton electrodes increased by an increase of CMC wt. % and this result affected an efficiency of the cells.

• 한국재료학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국재료학회 2011년도 춘계학술발표대회
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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.

• 한국전기전자재료학회논문지
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.76-80
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• 2011

The ITO/Cabon Nano Tube (CNT) nano composites were deposited by nano cluster deposition (ITO) and arc discharge deposition (CNT) on glass substrates. The structural, optical and photovoltaic performance of ITO/CNT nano composites as a counter electrode of dye-sensitized solar-cells (DSSCs) such films were investigated. At low temperature below $250^{\circ}C$, the ITO films deposited on CNT. The ITO/CNT nano composit showed a good optical and electrical property for the counter electrode of DSSCs. When the as-prepared ITO/CNT nano composites are used for the counter electrodes, the photovoltaic parameters are $V_{OC}$ = 0.69 V, $J_{SC}$ = 5.69 mA/$cm^2$, FF = 0.32, and $\eta$ = 0.53 %. The ITO/CNT nano composites showed the possibility for the counter electrode applications of DSSCs.

• Rapid Communication in Photoscience
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• 제3권1호
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• pp.20-24
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• 2014

N-doped anatase $TiO_2$ nanoparticles were prepared by the sol-gel process followed by a hydrothermal treatment and successfully used as the photoanodes in organic dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). As expected, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 8.44% was obtained for the NKX2677/HC-A-sensitized DSSC based on the 30 mol% N-doped $TiO_2$ photoanode, which was an improvement of 23% relative to that of the DSSC based on the NKX2677/DCA.

• 한국분말재료학회지
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.44-49
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• 2007

In the fabrication of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), carbon counter electrode has been tested for replacing the platinum counter electrode which has two drawbacks: limited surface area and high material cost. Poor mechanical stability of carbon layer due to weak bonding strength to electrically conductive TCO (transparent conducting oxide) glass substrate is a crucial barrier for practical application of carbon counter electrode. In the present study a carbon counter electrode with high conversion efficiency, comparable to Pt counter electrode, could be fabricated by adaption of a bonding layer between particulate carbon material and TCO substrate.

• 한국전기전자재료학회논문지
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• 제29권3호
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• pp.192-197
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• 2016

A novel heteroleptic ruthenium(II) complex bearing a 4-picolinic acid unit as anchoring ligands (trans-dithiocyanato bis(4-picolinic acid)ruthenium(II) (trans-H1)) was synthesized and its chemical structure was identified by $^1H$-NMR, FT-IR and mass spectroscopy. The optical, thermal, electrochemical and dye adsorption properties of trans-H1 dye were investigated and compared with those of the gold standard ruthenium complex, Ru(4,4'-dicarboxy-2,2'-bipyridine)$_2cis(NCS)_2$ (N3). DSSCs based on trans-H1 dyes were examined under the illumination of AM 1.5 G, $100mWcm^{-2}$ and exhibited typical photovoltaic properties with an open-circuit voltage ($V_{OC}$) of 0.46 V, a short-circuit current ($J_{SC}$) of $4.10mA{\cdot}cm^{-2}$, a fill factor (FF) of 60.4%, and a conversion efficiency (PCE) of 1.14%.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제24권10호
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• pp.565-571
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• 2014

Nitrogen-doped ZnO nanoparticle-carbon nanofiber composites were prepared using electrospinning. As the relative amounts of N-doped ZnO nanoparticles in the composites were controlled to levels of 3.4, 9.6, and 13.8 wt%, the morphological, structural, and chemical properties of the composites were characterized by means of field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In particular, the carbon nanofiber composites containing 13.8 wt% N-doped ZnO nanoparticles exhibited superior catalytic properties, making them suitable for use as counter electrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). This result can be attributed to the enhanced surface roughness of the composites, which offers sites for $I_3{^-}$ ion reductions and the formation of Zn3N2 phases that facilitate electron transfer. Therefore, DSSCs fabricated with 13.8 wt% N-doped ZnO nanoparticle-carbon nanofiber composites showed high current density ($16.3mA/cm^2$), high fill factor (57.8%), and excellent power-conversion efficiency (6.69%); at the same time, these DSSCs displayed power-conversion efficiency almost identical to that of DSSCs fabricated with a pure Pt counter electrode (6.57%).