Synthesis, characterization and introduction of a new ion-coordinating ruthenium sensitizer dye in quasi-solid state TiO2 solar cells

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: Fundamentals and Current Status

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) belong to the group of thin-film solar cells which have been under extensive research for more than two decades due to their low cost, simple preparation methodology, low toxicity and ease of production. Still, there is lot of scope for the replacement of current DSSC materials due to their high cost, less abundance, and long-term stability. The efficiency of existing DSSCs reaches up to 12%, using Ru(II) dyes by optimizing material and structural properties which is still less than the efficiency offered by first- and second-generation solar cells, i.e., other thin-film solar cells and Si-based solar cells which offer ~ 20-30% efficiency. This article provides an in-depth review on DSSC construction, operating principle, key problems (low efficiency, low scalability, and low stability), prospective efficient materials, and finally a brief insight to commercialization.

Influence of Ancillary Ligands in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have motivated many researchers to develop various sensitizers with tailored properties involving anchoring and ancillary ligands. Ancillary ligands carry favorable light-harvesting abilities and are therefore crucial in determining the overall power conversion efficiencies. The use of ancillary ligands having aliphatic chains and/or π-extended aromatic units decreases charge recombination and permits the collection of a large fraction of sunlight. This review aims to provide insight into the relationship between ancillary ligand structure and DSSC properties, which can further guide the function-oriented design and synthesis of different sensitizers for DSSCs. This review outlines how the new and rapidly expanding class of chelating ancillary ligands bearing 2,2'-bipyridyl, 1,10-phenanthroline, carbene, dipyridylamine, pyridyl-benzimidazole, pyridyl-azolate, and other aromatic ligands provides a conduit for potentially enhancing the performance and stability of DSSCs. Finally, these classes of Ru polypyridyl complexes have gained increasing interest for feasible large-scale commercialization of DSSCs due to their more favorable light-harvesting abilities and long-term thermal and chemical stabilities compared with other conventional sensitizers. Therefore, the main idea is to inspire readers to explore new avenues in the design of new sensitizers for DSSCs based on different ancillary ligands.

An organic hydrophilic dye for water-based dye-sensitized solar cells

In this study we report the first organic hydrophilic dye employed for 100% water-based electrolyte DSSCs. We show that the replacement of alkyl by glycolic chains in the dye structure is able to provide excellent wettability, resulting in an efficient system with remarkably reduced desorption problems that allowed us to perform tests over a wide pH range. By changing the electrolyte composition, employing chenodeoxycholic acid as a co-adsorbent and using PEDOT counter-electrodes, 3% power conversion efficiency under 1-sun illumination was obtained. We show that chenodeoxycholic acid does not significantly increase the wettability, and we provide new insights into the higher performance resulting from its co-adsorption.

Aqueous dye-sensitized solar cells

This review highlights the efforts towards the realization of an artificial photosynthetic system able to convert sunlight into electricity by using a unique solvent, water, the solvent of life.