1
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Fabrication of Carbon/Zinc Oxide Nanocomposites as Highly Efficient Catalytic Materials for Application in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells. Catalysts 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/catal12111354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Different nanostructured semiconducting ZnO photoanodes were prepared by Hydrothermal (HT), Co-precipitation (CoP) and Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD) methods for their use in the Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) in the present study. Additionally, different ZnO nanocomposites were synthesized by mixing the Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs), Graphene Oxide (GO) and their combination with the ZnO nanostructures. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed various morphologies of ZnO nanostructures and nanocomposites such as nanoflowers, nanorods, rhombohedral, cubic, and cauliflower-like nanorods, and nanorods with hexagonal symmetry. Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectra confirmed the purity of the synthesized samples. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) demonstrated the hexagonal wurtzite phase of ZnO and a minor presence of CNTs and graphene. The UV-Visible, transmittance and diffuse reflectance spectra demonstrated that the ZnO synthesized through the CBD method exhibits the highest transmittance as 70–71% in the UV-Vis range and reduced % R. Optical band gaps of the samples were determined with the help of Tauc plots. Comparison of J-V characteristics showed that the ZnO synthesized via the HT method exhibits the highest conversion efficiency of 1.45%. Comparison among pristine ZnO synthesized via CBD and ZnO nanocomposites revealed that ZnO/CNTs possesses the highest energy conversion efficiency of 1.23% with enhanced JSC of 4.49 mA/cm2.
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2
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Bruno G, de Souza B, Neese F, Bistoni G. Can domain-based local pair natural orbitals approaches accurately predict phosphorescence energies? Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:14228-14241. [PMID: 35649286 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp01623k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Since the discovery of the peculiar conducting and optical properties of aromatics, many efforts have been made to characterize and predict their phosphorescence. This physical process is exploited in modern Organic Emitting Light Diodes (OLEDs), and it is also one of the processes decreasing the efficiency of Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Herein, we propose a computational strategy for the accurate calculation of singlet-triplet gaps of aromatic compounds, which provides results that are in excellent agreement with available experimental data. Our approach relies on the domain-based local pair natural orbital (DLPNO) variant of the "gold standard" CCSD(T) method. The convergence of our results with respect to the key technical parameters of the calculation, such as the basis set used, the approximations employed in the perturbative triples correction, and the dimension of the PNOs space, was thoroughly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanna Bruno
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Golgi 19, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | | | - Frank Neese
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1, D-45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Giovanni Bistoni
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1, D-45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany.,Dipartimento di Chimica, Biologia e Biotecnologie, Università di Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
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3
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Franchi D, Leandri V, Pizzichetti AR, Xu B, Hao Y, Zhang W, Sloboda T, Svanström S, Cappel UB, Kloo L, Sun L, Gardner JM. Effect of the Ancillary Ligand on the Performance of Heteroleptic Cu(I) Diimine Complexes as Dyes in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells. ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS 2022; 5:1460-1470. [PMID: 35252772 PMCID: PMC8889538 DOI: 10.1021/acsaem.1c02778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
A series of heteroleptic Cu(I) diimine complexes with different ancillary ligands and 6,6'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine-4,4'-dibenzoic acid (dbda) as the anchoring ligand were self-assembled on TiO2 surfaces and used as dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The binding to the TiO2 surface was studied by hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy for a bromine-containing complex, confirming the complex formation. The performance of all complexes was assessed and rationalized on the basis of their respective ancillary ligand. The DSSC photocurrent-voltage characteristics, incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) spectra, and calculated lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) distributions collectively show a push-pull structural dye design, in which the ancillary ligand exhibits an electron-donating effect that can lead to improved solar cell performance. By analyzing the optical properties of the dyes and their solar cell performance, we can conclude that the presence of ancillary ligands with bulky substituents protects the Cu(I) metal center from solvent coordination constituting a critical factor in the design of efficient Cu(I)-based dyes. Moreover, we have identified some components in the I-/I3 --based electrolyte that causes dissociation of the ancillary ligand, i.e., TiO2 photoelectrode bleaching. Finally, the detailed studies on one of the dyes revealed an electrolyte-dye interaction, leading to a dramatic change of the dye properties when adsorbed on the TiO2 surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Franchi
- Institute
of Chemistry of Organometallic Compounds (CNR-ICCOM), Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
- Division
of Organic Chemistry, Centre of Molecular Devices, Department of Chemistry, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Valentina Leandri
- Division
of Applied Physical Chemistry, Centre of Molecular Devices, Department
of Chemistry, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Angela Raffaella
Pia Pizzichetti
- Division
of Applied Physical Chemistry, Centre of Molecular Devices, Department
of Chemistry, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Bo Xu
- Division
of Physical Chemistry, Centre of Molecular Devices, Department of
Chemistry, Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 523, SE-75120 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Yan Hao
- Division
of Applied Physical Chemistry, Centre of Molecular Devices, Department
of Chemistry, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Wei Zhang
- Division
of Applied Physical Chemistry, Centre of Molecular Devices, Department
of Chemistry, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tamara Sloboda
- Division
of Applied Physical Chemistry, Centre of Molecular Devices, Department
of Chemistry, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sebastian Svanström
- Division
of X-ray Photon Science, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Box
516, SE-751 20 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ute B. Cappel
- Division
of Applied Physical Chemistry, Centre of Molecular Devices, Department
of Chemistry, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lars Kloo
- Division
of Applied Physical Chemistry, Centre of Molecular Devices, Department
of Chemistry, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Licheng Sun
- Division
of Organic Chemistry, Centre of Molecular Devices, Department of Chemistry, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden
- Center of
Artificial Photosynthesis for Solar Fuels, School of Science, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - James M. Gardner
- Division
of Applied Physical Chemistry, Centre of Molecular Devices, Department
of Chemistry, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden
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4
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Housecroft CE, Constable EC. Solar energy conversion using first row d-block metal coordination compound sensitizers and redox mediators. Chem Sci 2022; 13:1225-1262. [PMID: 35222908 PMCID: PMC8809415 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc06828h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of renewable energy is essential for the future of the Earth, and solar photons are the ultimate source of energy to satisfy the ever-increasing global energy demands. Photoconversion using dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) is becoming an established technology to contribute to the sustainable energy market, and among state-of-the art DSCs are those which rely on ruthenium(ii) sensitizers and the triiodide/iodide (I3 -/I-) redox mediator. Ruthenium is a critical raw material, and in this review, we focus on the use of coordination complexes of the more abundant first row d-block metals, in particular copper, iron and zinc, as dyes in DSCs. A major challenge in these DSCs is an enhancement of their photoconversion efficiencies (PCEs) which currently lag significantly behind those containing ruthenium-based dyes. The redox mediator in a DSC is responsible for regenerating the ground state of the dye. Although the I3 -/I- couple has become an established redox shuttle, it has disadvantages: its redox potential limits the values of the open-circuit voltage (V OC) in the DSC and its use creates a corrosive chemical environment within the DSC which impacts upon the long-term stability of the cells. First row d-block metal coordination compounds, especially those containing cobalt, and copper, have come to the fore in the development of alternative redox mediators and we detail the progress in this field over the last decade, with particular attention to Cu2+/Cu+ redox mediators which, when coupled with appropriate dyes, have achieved V OC values in excess of 1000 mV. We also draw attention to aspects of the recyclability of DSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine E Housecroft
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1096 4058 Basel Switzerland
| | - Edwin C Constable
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1096 4058 Basel Switzerland
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5
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Cho I, Mozer AJ. Effect of Molecular Structure on Interfacial Electron Transfer Kinetics in the Framework of Classical Marcus Theory. Isr J Chem 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ijch.202100084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Inseong Cho
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science and Intelligent Polymer Research Institute Innovation Campus Squires Way North Wollongong NSW 2500
| | - Attila J. Mozer
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science and Intelligent Polymer Research Institute Innovation Campus Squires Way North Wollongong NSW 2500
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Venkatraman R, Panneer SVK, Varathan E, Subramanian V. Aromaticity-Photovoltaic Property Relationship of Triphenylamine-Based D-π-A Dyes: Leads from DFT Calculations. J Phys Chem A 2020; 124:3374-3385. [PMID: 32115951 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.9b10245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
D-π-A-based dyes find a wide range of applications in molecular electronics and photovoltaics in general and dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) in particular. We speculated whether there exists a relationship between the degree of aromaticity of the π-spacers used in the D-π-A type dyes and their structural, electronic, energetic, photophysical, and intramolecular charge transfer properties. Triphenylamine (TPA) and cyanoacrylic acid (CAA) have been chosen as the donor and acceptor, respectively. In order to carry out the investigation systematically the π-spacers have been logically chosen based on their experimental resonance energies, which follows the order, furan < pyrrole < thiophene < pyridine < benzene. All the properties have been discussed based on the degree of aromaticity of the π-spacers. Geometric properties such as dihedral angles and bond lengths have been discussed extensively. Energy levels of the frontier molecular orbitals, electrochemical properties, namely, ground and excited state oxidation potentials (GSOP/ESOP), and change in Gibbs free energy for electron injection and regeneration (ΔGinj/ΔGreg) have also been evaluated. Photophysical properties like wavelength of maximum absorption (λmax), oscillator strength (f), light harvesting efficiency (LHE), and intramolecular charge transfer properties, viz., charge transfer distance (DCT), fraction of charge transferred (qCT), and change in dipole moment (μCT) have been assessed. The adsorption characteristics of dye with (TiO2)9 nanocluster have been studied along with their optical properties. Results reveal that the nature of the relationship between the aforementioned properties and the extent of aromaticity of the π-spacers is inherently multifaceted. It thus turns out that it is highly difficult to quantify the relationship. These properties of D-π1-π2-A molecules can be regarded to be arising from two groups, namely, π-spacers with lower and higher resonance energies. This results in a natural trade-off in selection of competing properties. The qualitative aromaticity photovoltaic property relationship thus obtained may serve as a guide to tailor-design various properties of D-π-A type dyes for application in the intramolecular charge transfer devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raghavendra Venkatraman
- Inorganic and Physical Chemistry Division, CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute, Adyar, Chennai, 600020, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Shyam Vinod Kumar Panneer
- Inorganic and Physical Chemistry Division, CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute, Adyar, Chennai, 600020, India
| | - Elumalai Varathan
- Inorganic and Physical Chemistry Division, CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute, Adyar, Chennai, 600020, India
| | - Venkatesan Subramanian
- Inorganic and Physical Chemistry Division, CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute, Adyar, Chennai, 600020, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
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7
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Shao JY, Zhong YW. Stabilization of a Cyclometalated Ruthenium Sensitizer on Nanocrystalline TiO 2 by an Electrodeposited Covalent Layer. Inorg Chem 2019; 58:3509-3517. [PMID: 30758195 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.9b00092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
A cyclometalated ruthenium sensitizer 3 containing a triphenylamine unit was synthesized and immobilized on a nanocrystalline TiO2 surface. By using oxidative electrochemical deposition, a covalent layer of a related cyclometalated ruthenium complex 2 was coupled to the top of dye 3. Electrochemical studies suggested that complex 2 was immobilized on the TiO2/3 film surface by a tetraphenylbenzidine linker to form a dimer-like structure. The immobilization of 3 and 2 was further supported by absorption spectral analysis. The resulting electrodeposited TiO2/(3+2) film displays significantly enhanced sensitizer stabilization toward basic aqueous NaOH solution with respect to the original TiO2/3 film. The dye-sensitized solar cells with the TiO2/(3+2) photoanode display a power conversion efficiency of 4.4%, which is slightly inferior to that with the TiO2/3 film (5.1%) under the same measurement conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiang-Yang Shao
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences , Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100190 , China
| | - Yu-Wu Zhong
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences , Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100190 , China.,School of Chemical Sciences , University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049 , China
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8
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Leandri V, Liu P, Sadollahkhani A, Safdari M, Kloo L, Gardner JM. Excited-State Dynamics of [Ru(bpy) 3 ] 2+ Thin Films on Sensitized TiO 2 and ZrO 2. Chemphyschem 2019; 20:618-626. [PMID: 30623544 PMCID: PMC6593980 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201801010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 01/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
The excited state dynamics of Tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) hexafluorophosphate, [Ru(bpy)3 (PF6 )2 ], was investigated on the surface of bare and sensitized TiO2 and ZrO2 films. The organic dyes LEG4 and MKA253 were selected as sensitizers. A Stern-Volmer plot of LEG4-sensitized TiO2 substrates with a spin-coated [Ru(bpy)3 (PF6 )2 ] layer on top shows considerable quenching of the emission of the latter. Interestingly, time-resolved emission spectroscopy reveals the presence of a fast-decay time component (25±5 ns), which is absent when the anatase TiO2 semiconductor is replaced by ZrO2 . It should be specified that the positive redox potential of the ruthenium complex prevents electron transfer from the [Ru(bpy)3 (PF6 )2 ] ground state into the oxidized sensitizer. Therefore, we speculate that the fast-decay time component observed stems from excited-state electron transfer from [Ru(bpy)3 (PF6 )2 ] to the oxidized sensitizer. Solid-state dye sensitized solar cells (ssDSSCs) employing MKA253 and LEG4 dyes, with [Ru(bpy)3 (PF6 )2 ] as a hole-transporting material (HTM), exhibit 1.2 % and 1.1 % power conversion efficiency, respectively. This result illustrates the possibility of the hypothesized excited-state electron transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Leandri
- Department: Department of Chemistry Division of Applied Physical ChemistryKTH Royal Institute of TechnologyTeknikringen 30SE-10044StockholmSweden
| | - Peng Liu
- Department: Department of Chemistry Division of Applied Physical ChemistryKTH Royal Institute of TechnologyTeknikringen 30SE-10044StockholmSweden
| | - Azar Sadollahkhani
- Department: Department of Chemistry Division of Applied Physical ChemistryKTH Royal Institute of TechnologyTeknikringen 30SE-10044StockholmSweden
| | - Majid Safdari
- Department: Department of Chemistry Division of Applied Physical ChemistryKTH Royal Institute of TechnologyTeknikringen 30SE-10044StockholmSweden
| | - Lars Kloo
- Department: Department of Chemistry Division of Applied Physical ChemistryKTH Royal Institute of TechnologyTeknikringen 30SE-10044StockholmSweden
| | - James M. Gardner
- Department: Department of Chemistry Division of Applied Physical ChemistryKTH Royal Institute of TechnologyTeknikringen 30SE-10044StockholmSweden
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9
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Mino L, Signorile M, Crocellà V, Lamberti C. Ti-Based Catalysts and Photocatalysts: Characterization and Modeling. CHEM REC 2018; 19:1319-1336. [PMID: 30570210 DOI: 10.1002/tcr.201800108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
This perspective article aims to underline how cutting-edge synchrotron radiation spectroscopies such as extended X-ray absorption spectroscopy (EXAFS), X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES), high resolution fluorescence detected (HRFD) XANES, X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) and resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) have played a key role in the structural and electronic characterization of Ti-based catalysts and photocatalysts, representing an important additional value to the outcomes of conventional laboratory spectroscopies (UV-Vis, IR, Raman, EPR, NMR etc.). Selected examples are taken from the authors research activity in the last two decades, covering both band-gap and shape engineered TiO2 materials and microporous titanosilicates (ETS-10, TS-1 and Ti-AlPO-5). The relevance of the state of the art simulation techniques as a support for experiments interpretation is underlined for all the reported examples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Mino
- Department of Chemistry, INSTM Reference Center and NIS Interdepartmental Center, University of Turin, via Giuria 7, I-10135, Turin, Italy
| | - Matteo Signorile
- Department of Chemistry, INSTM Reference Center and NIS Interdepartmental Center, University of Turin, via Giuria 7, I-10135, Turin, Italy
| | - Valentina Crocellà
- Department of Chemistry, INSTM Reference Center and NIS Interdepartmental Center, University of Turin, via Giuria 7, I-10135, Turin, Italy
| | - Carlo Lamberti
- Department of Physics, INSTM Reference Center and CrisDi Interdepartmental Center for crystallography, University of Turin, via Giuria 1, I-10135, Turin, Italy.,The Smart Materials Research Institute, Southern Federal University, Sladkova Street 174/28, 344090, Rostov-on-Don, Russia
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10
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Carella A, Borbone F, Centore R. Research Progress on Photosensitizers for DSSC. Front Chem 2018; 6:481. [PMID: 30364239 PMCID: PMC6193062 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2018.00481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC) are considered one of the most promising photovoltaic technologies as an alternative to traditional silicon-based solar cells, for their compatibility with low-cost production methods, their peculiar optical and mechanical properties and the high indoor efficiency. Photosensitizers represent one of the most important components of a DSSC device and probably the most thoroughly investigated in the last twenty years, with thousands of dyes that have been proposed and tested for this kind of application. In this review we aimed to provide an overview of the three main classes of DSSC photosensitizers, namely ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes, Zn-porphyrin derivatives and metal-free organic dyes. After a brief introduction about the architecture and operational principles of a DSSC and the state of the art of the other main components of this type of device, we focused our discussion on photosensitizers. We have defined the numerous requirements DSSC photosensitizers should satisfy and have provided an overview of their historical development over the years; by examining specific dyes reported in the literature, we attempted to highlight the molecular design strategies that have been established for the optimization of their performance in real devices both in terms of efficiency (which recently reaches an outstanding 14.3%) and operational stability. Finally, we discussed, in the last section, the possible future developments of this intriguing technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Carella
- Chemical Sciences Department, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Fabio Borbone
- Chemical Sciences Department, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Roberto Centore
- Chemical Sciences Department, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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11
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Kaienburg P, Klingebiel B, Kirchartz T. Spin-coated planar Sb 2S 3 hybrid solar cells approaching 5% efficiency. BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF NANOTECHNOLOGY 2018; 9:2114-2124. [PMID: 30202684 PMCID: PMC6122191 DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.9.200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Antimony sulfide solar cells have demonstrated an efficiency exceeding 7% when assembled in an extremely thin absorber configuration deposited via chemical bath deposition. More recently, less complex, planar geometries were obtained from simple spin-coating approaches, but the device efficiency still lags behind. We compare two processing routes based on different precursors reported in the literature. By studying the film morphology, sub-bandgap absorption and solar cell performance, improved annealing procedures are found and the crystallization temperature is shown to be critical. In order to determine the optimized processing conditions, the role of the polymeric hole transport material is discussed. The efficiency of our best solar cells exceeds previous reports for each processing route, and our champion device displays one of the highest efficiencies reported for planar antimony sulfide solar cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Kaienburg
- IEK5-Photovoltaics, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | | | - Thomas Kirchartz
- IEK5-Photovoltaics, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Faculty of Engineering and CENIDE, University of Duisburg-Essen, Carl-Benz-Str. 199, 47057 Duisburg, Germany
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12
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García-Aboal R, Fenollosa R, Ramiro-Manzano F, Rodríguez I, Meseguer F, Atienzar P. Single Crystal Growth of Hybrid Lead Bromide Perovskites Using a Spin-Coating Method. ACS OMEGA 2018; 3:5229-5236. [PMID: 31458736 PMCID: PMC6641975 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.8b00447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Synthesis and studies of single crystals of hybrid perovskite are important for achieving a better understanding of the optoelectronic phenomena occurring in this material and for improving ongoing applications. Here, we report on the growth of micrometer-size single crystals of methylammonium lead bromide (MAPbBr3) using the spin coating deposition method on a quartz substrate. We studied the influence of the rotation speed and the use of three different additives N-cyclohexyl-2-pyrrolidone, dimethyl sulfoxide, and 4-tert-butylpyridine on the crystal size and shape. The introduction of an additive in the precursor solution is revealed to be very useful for obtaining crystals with well-defined geometries and for decreasing the amount of defects. In this way, high-quality single crystals that sustain optical resonating modes were obtained and characterized by transmittance and photoluminescence measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío García-Aboal
- Instituto Universitario de
Tecnologia Química, CSIC-UPV, Universitat
Politècnica de València, Av. de los Naranjos, Valencia 46022, Spain
| | - Roberto Fenollosa
- Instituto Universitario de
Tecnologia Química, CSIC-UPV, Universitat
Politècnica de València, Av. de los Naranjos, Valencia 46022, Spain
| | - Fernando Ramiro-Manzano
- Instituto Universitario de
Tecnologia Química, CSIC-UPV, Universitat
Politècnica de València, Av. de los Naranjos, Valencia 46022, Spain
| | - Isabelle Rodríguez
- Instituto Universitario de
Tecnologia Química, CSIC-UPV, Universitat
Politècnica de València, Av. de los Naranjos, Valencia 46022, Spain
| | - Francisco Meseguer
- Instituto Universitario de
Tecnologia Química, CSIC-UPV, Universitat
Politècnica de València, Av. de los Naranjos, Valencia 46022, Spain
| | - Pedro Atienzar
- Instituto Universitario de
Tecnologia Química, CSIC-UPV, Universitat
Politècnica de València, Av. de los Naranjos, Valencia 46022, Spain
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13
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14
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Wang JC, Hill SP, Dilbeck T, Ogunsolu OO, Banerjee T, Hanson K. Multimolecular assemblies on high surface area metal oxides and their role in interfacial energy and electron transfer. Chem Soc Rev 2018; 47:104-148. [DOI: 10.1039/c7cs00565b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
High surface area metal oxides offer a unique substrate for the assembly of multiple molecular components at an interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie C. Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Florida State University
- Tallahassee
- USA
| | - Sean P. Hill
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Florida State University
- Tallahassee
- USA
| | - Tristan Dilbeck
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Florida State University
- Tallahassee
- USA
| | | | - Tanmay Banerjee
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Florida State University
- Tallahassee
- USA
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research
| | - Kenneth Hanson
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Florida State University
- Tallahassee
- USA
- Materials Science and Engineering
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15
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Li CT, Wu FL, Lee BH, Yeh MCP, Lin JT. Organic Photosensitizers Incorporating Rigid Benzo[1,2-b:6,5-b']dithiophene Segment for High-Performance Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2017; 9:43739-43746. [PMID: 29182274 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b15181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Benzo[1,2-b:6,5-b']dithiophene (BDT) entity with rigid skeleton is introduced into the conjugated spacer of organic dyes, with triphenylamine as the electron donor and 2-cyanoacrylic acid as the acceptor, have been prepared for dye-sensitized solar cells. Inserting an aromatic entity between BDT and the anchor extends the absorption wavelength of the dyes and improves the dark current suppression efficiency, and consequently leads to better cell performance. Addition of chenodeoxycholic acid coadsorbent alleviates dye aggregation and results in better cell efficiency. The dye inserted with 4H-cyclopenta[2,1-b:3,4-b']dithiophene entity achieves the best efficiency (9.11%) when I-/I3- was used as the electrolyte. When Co(phen)32+/3+ was used as the electrolyte, the efficiency further boosts to 9.88%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Ting Li
- Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica , No. 128, Section 2, Academia Road, Nankang District, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Feng-Ling Wu
- Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica , No. 128, Section 2, Academia Road, Nankang District, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Bing-Hsuan Lee
- Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica , No. 128, Section 2, Academia Road, Nankang District, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
- Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan Normal University , 117 Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Chang P Yeh
- Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan Normal University , 117 Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jiann T Lin
- Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica , No. 128, Section 2, Academia Road, Nankang District, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
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Fang JK, Hu X, Xu M, Wang H, Zhang Y, Jin C, Zhong X. Molecular Engineering of Efficient Organic Sensitizers Containing Diyne-Bridge for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells. Electrochim Acta 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2017.09.098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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17
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Wang H, Bao B, Hu X, Fang JK. Efficient Small Molecule Organic Dyes Containing Different Bridges in Donor Moieties for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells. Electrochim Acta 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2017.08.089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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18
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Iglesias D, Atienzar P, Vázquez E, Herrero MA, García H. Carbon Nanohorns Modified with Conjugated Terthienyl/Terthiophene Structures: Additives to Enhance the Performance of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2017; 7:E294. [PMID: 28946677 PMCID: PMC5666459 DOI: 10.3390/nano7100294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Revised: 09/15/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
A series of carbon nanohorns (CNHs) constituted by the aggregation of about 2000 individual conical graphene tubes (diameters from 2 nm to 5 nm and a length of 40-50 nm) that have been modified with dyes of two, three, or four terthienyl groups has been prepared by adsorbing the corresponding dye on the CNH. Persistent inks in o-dichlorobenzene (o-DCB) of these dye-CNH conjugates were obtained by laser irradiation of o-DCB suspensions of the dye-CNH solids. These inks were used in combination or not with N719 dye for the preparation of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) of TiO₂. It was measured that the terthienyl dye with the largest conjugation deposited on the CNH additively increased the performance of an analogous TiO₂ cell from an efficiency of 4.07% to 6.24%. This result shows the potential of dye-modified CNHs as additives in the construction of more efficient DSSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Iglesias
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias y Tecnologías Químicas, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain.
- Instituto Regional de Investigación Científica Aplicada (IRICA), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Pedro Atienzar
- Instituto Universitario de Tecnología Química CSIC-UPV, Universitat Politécnica de Valencia, Av. de los Naranjos s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain.
| | - Ester Vázquez
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias y Tecnologías Químicas, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain.
- Instituto Regional de Investigación Científica Aplicada (IRICA), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - María Antonia Herrero
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias y Tecnologías Químicas, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain.
- Instituto Regional de Investigación Científica Aplicada (IRICA), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Hermenegildo García
- Instituto Universitario de Tecnología Química CSIC-UPV, Universitat Politécnica de Valencia, Av. de los Naranjos s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain.
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Shimogawa H, Endo M, Taniguchi T, Nakaike Y, Kawaraya M, Segawa H, Murata Y, Wakamiya A. D–π–A Dyes with an Intramolecular B–N Coordination Bond as a Key Scaffold for Electronic Structural Tuning and Their Application in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells. BULLETIN OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY OF JAPAN 2017. [DOI: 10.1246/bcsj.20160421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Masaru Endo
- Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011
| | | | - Yumi Nakaike
- Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011
| | - Masahide Kawaraya
- Mikuni Laboratory at Tokyo University, Mikuni Color Ltd., 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8904
| | - Hiroshi Segawa
- Department of General Systems Studies, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Komaba, 3-8-1 Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902
| | - Yasujiro Murata
- Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011
| | - Atsushi Wakamiya
- Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011
- Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology (PRESTO), Japan Science and Technology Agency, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012
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20
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Fernández-Ariza J, Urbani M, Grätzel M, Rodríguez-Morgade MS, Nazeeruddin MK, Torres T. An Unsymmetrical, Push-Pull Porphyrazine for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells. CHEMPHOTOCHEM 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/cptc.201600004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Javier Fernández-Ariza
- Departamento de Química Orgánica; Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco; 28049 Madrid Spain
| | - Maxence Urbani
- Departamento de Química Orgánica; Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco; 28049 Madrid Spain
- Laboratory of Photonics and Interfaces; Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering; Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL); Station 6 CH 1015 Lausanne Switzerland
- Instituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados (IMDEA)-Nanociencia; c/Faraday, 9, Cantoblanco 28049 Madrid Spain
| | - Michael Grätzel
- Laboratory of Photonics and Interfaces; Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering; Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL); Station 6 CH 1015 Lausanne Switzerland
| | | | - Mohammad Khaja Nazeeruddin
- Group for Molecular Engineering of Functional materials; Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering; Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL); Valais Wallis, Rue de l'Industrie 17 CH 1950 Sion (Valais) Switzerland
| | - Tomás Torres
- Departamento de Química Orgánica; Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco; 28049 Madrid Spain
- Instituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados (IMDEA)-Nanociencia; c/Faraday, 9, Cantoblanco 28049 Madrid Spain
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Ogunsolu OO, Murphy IA, Wang JC, Das A, Hanson K. Energy and Electron Transfer Cascade in Self-Assembled Bilayer Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2016; 8:28633-28640. [PMID: 27700038 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.6b09955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Current high efficiency dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) rely on the incorporation of multiple chromophores, via either codeposition or preformed assemblies, as a means of increasing broad band light absorption. These strategies have some inherent limitations including decreased total light absorption by each of the dyes, low surface loadings, and complex synthetic procedures. In this report, we introduce an alternative strategy, self-assembled bilayers, as a simple, stepwise method of incorporating two complementary chromophores into a DSSC. The bilayer devices exhibit a 10% increase in Jsc, Voc, and η over the monolayer devices due to increased incident photon-to-electron conversion efficiency across the entire visible spectrum and slowed recombination losses at the interface. Directional energy and electron transfer toward the metal oxide surface are key steps in the bilayer photon-to-current generation process. These results are important as they open the door to a new architecture for harnessing broadband light in dye-sensitized devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omotola O Ogunsolu
- Materials Science and Engineering and ‡Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University , Tallahassee, Florida 32306, United States
| | - Ian A Murphy
- Materials Science and Engineering and ‡Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University , Tallahassee, Florida 32306, United States
| | - Jamie C Wang
- Materials Science and Engineering and ‡Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University , Tallahassee, Florida 32306, United States
| | - Anjan Das
- Materials Science and Engineering and ‡Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University , Tallahassee, Florida 32306, United States
| | - Kenneth Hanson
- Materials Science and Engineering and ‡Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University , Tallahassee, Florida 32306, United States
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22
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Brennaman MK, Dillon RJ, Alibabaei L, Gish MK, Dares CJ, Ashford DL, House RL, Meyer GJ, Papanikolas JM, Meyer TJ. Finding the Way to Solar Fuels with Dye-Sensitized Photoelectrosynthesis Cells. J Am Chem Soc 2016; 138:13085-13102. [PMID: 27654634 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.6b06466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 212] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The dye-sensitized photoelectrosynthesis cell (DSPEC) integrates high bandgap, nanoparticle oxide semiconductors with the light-absorbing and catalytic properties of designed chromophore-catalyst assemblies. The goals are photoelectrochemical water splitting into hydrogen and oxygen and reduction of CO2 by water to give oxygen and carbon-based fuels. Solar-driven water oxidation occurs at a photoanode and water or CO2 reduction at a cathode or photocathode initiated by molecular-level light absorption. Light absorption is followed by electron or hole injection, catalyst activation, and catalytic water oxidation or water/CO2 reduction. The DSPEC is of recent origin but significant progress has been made. It has the potential to play an important role in our energy future.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Kyle Brennaman
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , CB#3290, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
| | - Robert J Dillon
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , CB#3290, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
| | - Leila Alibabaei
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , CB#3290, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
| | - Melissa K Gish
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , CB#3290, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
| | - Christopher J Dares
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , CB#3290, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
| | - Dennis L Ashford
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , CB#3290, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
| | - Ralph L House
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , CB#3290, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
| | - Gerald J Meyer
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , CB#3290, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
| | - John M Papanikolas
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , CB#3290, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
| | - Thomas J Meyer
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , CB#3290, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
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23
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Oscarsson J, Fredin K, Ahmadi S, Eriksson AIK, Johansson EMJ, Rensmo H. Molecular degradation of D35 and K77 sensitizers when exposed to temperatures exceeding 100 °C investigated by photoelectron spectroscopy. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2016; 18:8598-607. [PMID: 26949128 DOI: 10.1039/c5cp07921g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Degradation of the materials in dye-sensitized solar cells at elevated temperatures is critical for use in real applications. Both during fabrication of the solar cell and under real working conditions the solar cells will be exposed to heat. In this work, mesoporous TiO2 electrodes sensitized with the dyes D35 and K77 were subject to heat-treatment and the effects of this were thereafter investigated by photoelectron spectroscopy. For D35 it was found that heat-treatment changes the binding configuration inducing an increased interaction between the sulfur of the linker unit and the TiO2 surface. The interaction resulting from the change in binding configuration also affects the position of the HOMO level, where a shift of +0.2 eV is observed when heated to 200 °C. For K77, parts of the thiocyanate units are detached and the nitrogen atom leaves the electrode whereas sulfur remains on the surface in various forms of sulfurous oxides. The total dye coverage of K77 gets reduced by heat-treatment. The HOMO level gets progressively less pronounced due to a loss of HOMO level electrons as a consequence of the lower dye coverage when heat-treated, which leads to a lower excitation rate and lower efficiency. The results are discussed in the context of performance for dye-sensitized solar cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johan Oscarsson
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Box 516, SE-75120 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Kristofer Fredin
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Box 516, SE-75120 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Sareh Ahmadi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Box 516, SE-75120 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Anna I K Eriksson
- Department of Chemistry-Ångström, Uppsala University, Box 523, SE-75120 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Erik M J Johansson
- Department of Chemistry-Ångström, Uppsala University, Box 523, SE-75120 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Håkan Rensmo
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Box 516, SE-75120 Uppsala, Sweden.
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Solid Solutions of Rare Earth Cations in Mesoporous Anatase Beads and Their Performances in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells. Sci Rep 2015; 5:16785. [PMID: 26577287 PMCID: PMC4995315 DOI: 10.1038/srep16785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2015] [Accepted: 10/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Solid solutions of the rare earth (RE) cations Pr(3+), Nd(3+), Sm(3+), Gd(3+), Er(3+) and Yb(3+) in anatase TiO2 have been synthesized as mesoporous beads in the concentration range 0.1-0.3% of metal atoms. The solid solutions were have been characterized by XRD, SEM, diffuse reflectance UV-Vis spectroscopy, BET and BJH surface analysis. All the solid solutions possess high specific surface areas, up to more than 100 m(2)/g. The amount of adsorbed dye in each photoanode has been determined spectrophotometrically. All the samples were tested as photoanodes in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) using N719 as dye and a nonvolatile, benzonitrile based electrolyte. All the cells were have been tested by conversion efficiency (J-V), quantum efficiency (IPCE), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and dark current measurements. While lighter RE cations (Pr(3+), Nd(3+)) limit the performance of DSSCs compared to pure anatase mesoporous beads, cations from Sm(3+) onwards enhance the performance of the devices. A maximum conversion efficiency of 8.7% for Er(3+) at a concentration of 0.2% has been achieved. This is a remarkable efficiency value for a DSSC employing N719 dye without co-adsorbents and a nonvolatile electrolyte. For each RE cation the maximum performances are obtained for a concentration of 0.2% metal atoms.
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