• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
• /
• v.1 no.2
• /
• pp.69-74
• /
• 2010

Methodologies to improve photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) are reviewed. DSSC is usually composed of a dye-adsorbed $TiO_2$ photoanode, a tri-iodide/iodide redox electrolyte and a Pt counter electrode. Among the photovoltaic parameters of short-circuit photocurrent density, open-circuit voltage and fill factor, short-circuit photocurrent density is the collective measure of light harvesting, charge separation and charge collection efficiencies. Internal quantum efficiency is known to reach almost 100%, which indicates that charge separation occurs without loss by recombination. Thus, light harvesting efficiency plays an important role in improvement of photocurrent. In this paper, technologies to improve light harvesting efficiency, including surface area improvement by nano-dispersion, size-dependent light scattering efficiency, bi-functional nano material, panchromatic absorption by selective positioning of three different dyes and transparent conductive oxide (TCO)-less DSSC, are introduced.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.218-227
• /
• 2016

The light harvesting efficiency is counted as an important factor in the power conversion efficiency of DSSCs. There are two measures to improve this parameter, including enhancing the dye-loading capacity and increasing the light trapping in the photoanode structure. In this paper, these tasks are addressed by introducing a macro-porous silicon (PSi) substrate as photoanode. The effects of the novel photoanode structure on the DSSC performance have been investigated by using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, photocurrent-voltage, UV-visible spectroscopy, reflectance spectroscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. The results indicated that bigger porosity percentage of the PSi structure improved the both anti-reflective/light-trapping and dye-loading capacity properties. PSi based DSSCs own higher power conversion efficiency due to its remarkable higher photocurrent, open circuit voltage, and fill factor. Percent porosity of 64%, PSi(III), resulted in nearly 50 percent increment in power conversion efficiency compared with conventional DSSC. This paper showed that PSi can be a good candidate for the improvement of light harvesting efficiency in DSSCs. Furthermore, this study can be considered a valuable reference for more investigations in the design of multifunctional devices which will profit from integrated on-chip solar power.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2011.05a
• /
• pp.117.1-117.1
• /
• 2011

We have demonstrated Forst-type resonance energy transfer (FRET) in the quasi-solid type dye-sensitized solar cells between organic fluorescence materials as an energy donor doped in polymeric gel electrolyte and ruthenium complex as an energy acceptor on surface of $TiO_2$. The strong spectral overlap of emission/absorption of energy donor and acceptor is required to get high FRET efficiency. The judicious choice of energy donor allows the enhancement of light harvesting characters of energy acceptor in quasi-solid dye sensitized solar cells which increase the power conversion efficiency. The enhanced light harvesting effect by the judicious choice/design of the fluorescence materials and sensitizing dyes permits the enhancement of photovoltaic performance of DSSC.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.27 no.11
• /
• pp.1729-1730
• /
• 2006

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
• /
• v.24 no.5
• /
• pp.427-431
• /
• 2011

Hybrid $SiO_2-TiO_2$ photoelectrode with different type of layers was investigated in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). Use of a thin layer of nanocrystalline $TiO_2$ would imply reduction in the amount of dye coverage, however, lower amount of dye in the thin films would imply fewer electron generation upon illumination. So, thus, it becomes necessary to include a $SiO_2-TiO_2$ layer for increase light harvesting effect such that the lower photon conversion due to thin layer could be compensated. In this paper reports the use of transparent high surface area $TiO_2$ layer and an additional $SiO_2-TiO_2$ layer, thus ensuring adequate light harvesting in these devices. The best solar conversion efficiency 6.6% under AM 1.5 was attained with a multi-layer structure using $TiO_2$ layer/$SiO_2-TiO_2$ layer/$TiO_2$ layer for the light harvesting and this had resulted to about 44% increase in photocurrent density of dye-sensitized solar cells.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.33-40
• /
• 2007

We have designed and synthesized three Zn(II)-porphyrin derivatives, such as Zn(II) porphyrin ([G-0]Zn-P1) and aryl ether-typed dendron substituted Zn(II)-porphyrin derivatives ([G-1]Zn-P1 and [G-1]Zn-P-CN1). Their chemical structures were characterized by 1H-NMR, FT-IR, UV-vis absorption, EI-mass, and MALDI-TOF mass spectroscopies. Their electrochemical properties were studied by cyclic voltammetry measurement. These Zn(II)-porphyrin derivatives have been used to fabricate dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on solid polymeric electrolytes as dye sensitizers and their device performances were evaluated by comparing with that of a standard Ru(II) complex dye. [G-1]Zn-P-CN1 showed the enhanced power conversion efficiency than those of other porphyrin derivatives, as expected. Short-circuit photocurrent density (Jsc), open-circuit voltage (Voc), fill factor (FF), and power conversion efficiency (η) of solid-typed DSSC for [G-1]Zn-P-CN1 were evaluated to be Jsc = 11.67 mA/cm2, Voc = 0.51 V, FF = 0.46, and η = 2.76%, respectively.

• Journal of Powder Materials
• /
• v.16 no.5
• /
• pp.305-309
• /
• 2009

The effect of light scattering layers (400 nm, TiO$_2$ particle) of 4 $\mu$m thickness on the dye-sensitized solar cell has been investigated with a 12 $\mu$m thickness of photo-anode (20 nm, TiO$_2$ particle). Two different structures of scattering layers (separated and back) were applied to investigate the light transmitting behaviors and solar cell properties. The light transmittance and cell efficiency significantly improved with inserting scattering layers. The back scattering layer structure had more effective transmitting behavior, but separated scattering layer (center: 2 $\mu$m, back: 2 $\mu$m) structure (9.83% of efficiency) showing higher efficiency (0.6%), short circuit current density (0.26 mA/cm$^2$) and fill factor (0.02). The inserting separating two scattering layers improved the light harvesting, and relatively thin back scattering layer (2 $\mu$m of thickness) minimized interruption of ion diffusion in liquid electrolyte.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2000.04a
• /
• pp.189-192
• /
• 2000

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of high content of light-absorbing pigments on overall photosynthetic efficiency in high density microalgal cultures. The light harvesting complex II (LHC II) regulating gene of Rhodobacter sphaeroides, photosynthetic purple bacterium, was removed to construct a mutant strain that had less pigment content. The mutant and wild type strains were cultured under various light intensity by adjusting the distance from the light source. The productivity of the mutant strain was higher at high light intensity (over 118 ${\mu}E/m^2/s$) compared with one of the wild type , and was lower at low light intensity (34 ${\mu}E/m^2/s$). Especially, the concentration of LHC II mutant strain was 56% higher at 118 ${\mu}E/m^2/s$. The reduction of per cell pigment contents in the mutant strain lessened the degree of the mutual shading and thus enhanced the overall photosynthetic efficiency.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.53 no.5
• /
• pp.632-637
• /
• 2015

Mesoporous $TiO_2$ granules were prepared by spray pyrolysis using nano-sized titania particles which were synthesized by a hydrothermal method, and they were evaluated as the photoanode of dye-sensitized solar cells. To enhance the cell efficiency, nanoparticles within granules were chemically interconnected by adding titanium ethoxide (TEOT) to colloidal spray solution. The resulting titania particles had anatase phase without forming rutile. $TiO_2$ granules obtained showed about 400 nm in size, the specific surface area of $74-77m^2/g$, and average pore size of 13-17 nm. The chemical modification of $TiO_2$ granules by adding TEOT initially to the colloidal spray solution was proved to be an effective way in terms of increasing both the light scattering within photoanode and the lifetimes of photo-excited electrons. Consequently, the light-harvesting efficiency of TEOT-modified granules (${\eta}=6.72%$) was enhanced about 14% higher than primitive nanoparticles.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.73-83
• /
• 1980

The light harvesting pigment proteins of dinoflagellates exhibit essentially 100% efficient energy transfer from carotenoid (peridinin) to chlorophyll a within the antenna pigment complexes. The high efficiency of solar energy harvesing (particularly blue light) for photosynthesis in dinoflagellates is attributable to the unique molecular topography of peridinin and chlorophyll e within the protein crevice. The mechanisms of energy transfer from carotenoids to chlorophyll in higher plants have also been discussed in comparison with the dinoflagellate antenna pigment complexes. As an example of solar energy harvesting, particularly red light, for photosynthesis in algae, the molecular topography and energy transfer in the photosynthetic accessory pigment protein, Chroomonas phycocyanin, have also been discussed.