1
|
Highly Ordered TiO2 Nanotube Electrodes for Efficient Quasi-Solid-State Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells. ENERGIES 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/en13226100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Free-standing TiO2 nanotube (NT) electrodes have attracted much attention for application in solid- or quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) because of their suitable pore structure for the infiltration of solid electrolytes. However, few studies have been performed on the relationship between nanostructures of these NT electrodes and the photovoltaic properties of the solid- or quasi-solid-state DSSCs. Here, we prepare vertically aligned and highly ordered TiO2 NT electrodes via a two-step anodization method for application in quasi-solid-state DSSCs that employs a polymer gel electrolyte. The length of NT arrays is controlled in the range of 10–42 μm by varying the anodization time, and the correlation between NT length and the photovoltaic properties of quasi-solid-state DSSCs is investigated. As the NT length increases, the roughness factor of the electrode is enlarged, leading to the higher dye-loading; however, photovoltage is gradually decreased, resulting in an optimized conversion efficiency at the NT length of 18.5 μm. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analysis reveals that the decrease in photovoltage for longer NT arrays is mainly attributed to the increased electron recombination rate with redox couples in the polymer gel electrolyte.
Collapse
|
2
|
Porous membrane of polyindole and polymeric ionic liquid incorporated PMMA for efficient quasi-solid state dye sensitized solar cell. J Photochem Photobiol A Chem 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotochem.2020.112464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
|
3
|
Sasi S, Sugunan SK, Radhakrishnan Nair P, Subramanian KRV, Mathew S. Scope of surface-modified molecular and nanomaterials in gel/liquid forms for developing mechanically flexible DSSCs/QDSSCs. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2018; 18:15-29. [PMID: 30398278 DOI: 10.1039/c8pp00293b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The advanced lifestyle of the human race involves heavy usage of various gadgets which require copious supplies of energy for uninterrupted functioning. Due to the ongoing depletion of fossil fuels and the accelerating demand for other energy resources, renewable energy sources, especially solar cells, are being extensively explored as viable alternatives. Flexible solar cells have recently emerged as an advanced member of the photovoltaic family; the flexibility and pliability of these photovoltaic materials are advantageous from a practical point of view. Conventional flexible solar cell materials, when dispersed in solvents, are usually volatile and create severe stability issues when incorporated in devices. Recently, non-volatile, less viscous functional molecular liquids/gels have been proposed as potential materials for use in foldable device applications. This perspective article discusses the scope of surface-modified non-volatile molecular and nanomaterials in liquid/gel forms in the manufacturing and deployment of flexible photovoltaics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Soorya Sasi
- Advanced Molecular Materials Research Centre, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India.
| | - Sunish K Sugunan
- Advanced Molecular Materials Research Centre, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India. and Department of Chemistry, CMS College (Autonomous) - affiliated to Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India
| | - P Radhakrishnan Nair
- Advanced Molecular Materials Research Centre, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India.
| | - K R V Subramanian
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, GITAM University, Nagadenahalli, Dodballapur Taluk, Bengaluru 562103, India
| | - Suresh Mathew
- Advanced Molecular Materials Research Centre, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India. and School of Chemical Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Priyadarshini Hills, Kottayam, Kerala, India
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Wang K, Chen Q, Hu Y, Wei W, Wang S, Shen Q, Qu P. Crystalline Ru 0.33 Se Nanoparticles-Decorated TiO 2 Nanotube Arrays for Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution Reaction. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2018; 14:e1802132. [PMID: 30109773 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201802132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Revised: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Nowadays, the state-of-the-art electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are platinum group metals. Nonetheless, Pt-based catalysts show decreased HER activity in alkaline media compared with that in acidic media due to the sluggish dissociation process of H2 O on the surface of Pt. With a cost 1/25 that of Pt, Ru demonstrates a favorable dissociation kinetics of absorbed H2 O. Herein, crystalline Ru0.33 Se nanoparticles are decorated onto TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNAs) to fabricate Ru0.33 Se @ TNA hybrid for HER. Owing to the large-specific surface area, Ru0.33 Se nanoparticles are freely distributed and the particle aggregation is eliminated, providing more active sites. The contracted electron transport pathway rendered by TiO2 nanotubes and the synergistic effect at the interface significantly improve the charge transfer efficiency in the hybrid catalyst. Compared with Ru0.33 Se nanoparticles deposited directly on the Ti foil (Ru0.33 Se/Ti) or carbon cloth (Ru0.33 Se/CC), Ru0.33 Se @ TNA shows an enhanced catalytic activity with an overpotential of 57 mV to afford a current density of 10 mA cm-2 , a Tafel slope of 50.0 mV dec-1 . Furthermore, the hybrid catalyst also exhibits an outstanding catalytic stability. The strategy here opens up a new synthetic avenue to the design of highly efficient hybrid electrocatalysts for hydrogen production.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kefeng Wang
- Henan Key Laboratory of Biomolecular Recognition and Sensing, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, 476000, Henan, China
| | - Qi Chen
- Henan Key Laboratory of Biomolecular Recognition and Sensing, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, 476000, Henan, China
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Environmental Engineering, Liaoning Shihua University, Fushun, 113001, Liaoning, China
| | - Yingyan Hu
- School of Engineering and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Wei Wei
- Henan Key Laboratory of Biomolecular Recognition and Sensing, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, 476000, Henan, China
| | - Songzhu Wang
- Henan Key Laboratory of Biomolecular Recognition and Sensing, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, 476000, Henan, China
| | - Qi Shen
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Peng Qu
- Henan Key Laboratory of Biomolecular Recognition and Sensing, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, 476000, Henan, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Lennert A, Sternberg M, Meyer K, Costa RD, Guldi DM. Iodine-Pseudohalogen Ionic Liquid-Based Electrolytes for Quasi-Solid-State Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2017; 9:33437-33445. [PMID: 28448122 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b01522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
In the current work, novel symmetrically alkyl-substituted imidazolium-based ionic liquids have been synthesized featuring either iodide (I-) or selenocyanate (SeCN-) as counteranions. Physicochemical assays based on spectroscopy and electrochemistry techniques have been performed to identify the best ionic liquid for application as electrolytes in quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (qssDSSC). The latter were mixed with additives such as 4-tert-butylpyridine (4tbpy) and guanidinium thiocyanate (GuSCN) to optimize electrode surface coverage, ionic diffusion, and dye regeneration. In addition, we demonstrate that electrolytes containing a mixture of I2 and (SeCN)2 enhance the open-circuit voltage of the final quasi-solid-state device by up to 70 mV. As such, iodine-pseudohalogen electrolytes reveal in qssDSSCs a good balance between dye regeneration and hole transport and, in turn, enhance the overall solar energy conversion efficiency by 70% with respect to reference qssDSSCs with iodine-based electrolytes. Finally, devices with the iodine-pseudohalogen electrolyte show a 1000 h stable efficiency of 7-8% under outdoor temperature operation conditions and 1 sun illumination.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annkatrin Lennert
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy & Interdisciplinary Center for Molecular Materials (ICMM), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg , Egerlandstrasse 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Michelle Sternberg
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Inorganic Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg , Egerlandstrasse 1, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Karsten Meyer
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Inorganic Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg , Egerlandstrasse 1, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Rubén D Costa
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy & Interdisciplinary Center for Molecular Materials (ICMM), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg , Egerlandstrasse 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
- IMDEA Materials Institute Eric Kandel 2, 28906 Getafe, Madrid, Spain
| | - Dirk M Guldi
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy & Interdisciplinary Center for Molecular Materials (ICMM), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg , Egerlandstrasse 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Kamarudin MA, Khan AA, Tan E, Rughoobur G, Said S, Qasim MM, Wilkinson TD. Induced alignment of a reactive mesogen-based polymer electrolyte for dye-sensitised solar cells. RSC Adv 2017. [DOI: 10.1039/c7ra03732e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Controlling the morphology of liquid crystal-directed polymer templates at the micrometer scale using external alignment layers and electric fields.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M. A. Kamarudin
- Centre of Molecular Materials for Photonics and Electronics (CMMPE)
- Department of Engineering
- University of Cambridge
- Cambridge
- UK
| | - A. A. Khan
- Centre of Molecular Materials for Photonics and Electronics (CMMPE)
- Department of Engineering
- University of Cambridge
- Cambridge
- UK
| | - E. Tan
- Centre for Advanced Photonics and Electronics (CAPE)
- Electrical Engineering Division
- University of Cambridge
- Cambridge
- UK
| | - G. Rughoobur
- Centre for Advanced Photonics and Electronics (CAPE)
- Electrical Engineering Division
- University of Cambridge
- Cambridge
- UK
| | - S. M. Said
- Solid State Nanodevices Laboratory
- Department of Electrical Engineering
- Faculty of Engineering
- University of Malaya
- Kuala Lumpur
| | - M. M. Qasim
- Centre of Molecular Materials for Photonics and Electronics (CMMPE)
- Department of Engineering
- University of Cambridge
- Cambridge
- UK
| | - T. D. Wilkinson
- Centre of Molecular Materials for Photonics and Electronics (CMMPE)
- Department of Engineering
- University of Cambridge
- Cambridge
- UK
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Ge M, Li Q, Cao C, Huang J, Li S, Zhang S, Chen Z, Zhang K, Al‐Deyab SS, Lai Y. One-dimensional TiO 2 Nanotube Photocatalysts for Solar Water Splitting. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2017; 4:1600152. [PMID: 28105391 PMCID: PMC5238753 DOI: 10.1002/advs.201600152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 168] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2016] [Revised: 06/16/2016] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Hydrogen production from water splitting by photo/photoelectron-catalytic process is a promising route to solve both fossil fuel depletion and environmental pollution at the same time. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanotubes have attracted much interest due to their large specific surface area and highly ordered structure, which has led to promising potential applications in photocatalytic degradation, photoreduction of CO2, water splitting, supercapacitors, dye-sensitized solar cells, lithium-ion batteries and biomedical devices. Nanotubes can be fabricated via facile hydrothermal method, solvothermal method, template technique and electrochemical anodic oxidation. In this report, we provide a comprehensive review on recent progress of the synthesis and modification of TiO2 nanotubes to be used for photo/photoelectro-catalytic water splitting. The future development of TiO2 nanotubes is also discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mingzheng Ge
- National Engineering Laboratory for Modern SilkCollege of Textile and Clothing, EngineeringSoochow UniversitySuzhou215123P. R. China
| | - Qingsong Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Modern SilkCollege of Textile and Clothing, EngineeringSoochow UniversitySuzhou215123P. R. China
| | - Chunyan Cao
- National Engineering Laboratory for Modern SilkCollege of Textile and Clothing, EngineeringSoochow UniversitySuzhou215123P. R. China
| | - Jianying Huang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Modern SilkCollege of Textile and Clothing, EngineeringSoochow UniversitySuzhou215123P. R. China
| | - Shuhui Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Modern SilkCollege of Textile and Clothing, EngineeringSoochow UniversitySuzhou215123P. R. China
| | - Songnan Zhang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Modern SilkCollege of Textile and Clothing, EngineeringSoochow UniversitySuzhou215123P. R. China
| | - Zhong Chen
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringNanyang Technological UniversitySingapore639798Singapore
| | - Keqin Zhang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Modern SilkCollege of Textile and Clothing, EngineeringSoochow UniversitySuzhou215123P. R. China
| | - Salem S. Al‐Deyab
- Petrochemical Research ChairDepartment of ChemistryCollege of ScienceKing Saud UniversityRiyadh11451Saudi Arabia
| | - Yuekun Lai
- National Engineering Laboratory for Modern SilkCollege of Textile and Clothing, EngineeringSoochow UniversitySuzhou215123P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Raphael E, Jara DH, Schiavon MA. Optimizing photovoltaic performance in CuInS2 and CdS quantum dot-sensitized solar cells by using an agar-based gel polymer electrolyte. RSC Adv 2017. [DOI: 10.1039/c6ra27635k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) offer new opportunities to address the clean energy challenge, being one of the top candidates for third generation photovoltaics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E. Raphael
- Department of Natural Science
- Federal University of São João del-Rei – UFSJ
- São João del-Rei
- Brazil
- Radiation Laboratory
| | - D. H. Jara
- Radiation Laboratory
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- University of Notre Dame
- Notre Dame
- USA
| | - M. A. Schiavon
- Department of Natural Science
- Federal University of São João del-Rei – UFSJ
- São João del-Rei
- Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Ha SJ, Lee SG, Ha JW, Moon JH. In Situ Gelation of Poly(vinylidene fluoride) Nanospheres for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: The Analysis on the Efficiency Enhancement upon Gelation. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2016; 32:7735-7740. [PMID: 27463514 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.6b01460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The in situ gelation that utilizes the dissolution of polymers inside the cell is allowed high concentration polymer gel without concerns regarding high viscous electrolyte incorporation into the cell as in the conventional approach. We demonstrate the in situ gelation of polymer composite electrolytes using poly(vinylidene fluoride) nanospheres (PVdF NSs). The PVdF NSs were synthesized by high pressure emulsion polymerization using gaseous vinylidene fluoride monomers. Compared to the liquid electrolyte (LE) DSCs without PVdF gelation, the PVdF polymer gel electrolyte (PGE) DSCs displayed higher η than the LE DSCs; specifically, the 10 wt % PVdF PGE DSCs display 8.1% of the η, while the LE DSCs only display 6.5%. We characterized the effect of PVdF PGE on the photovoltaic parameters in detail. We also compared the long-term stability of DSCs containing LE and PVdF PGE. The DSCs with PVdF PGE exhibited high stability compared to the LE DSCs, similar to a conventional PGE system. We believe that this facile in situ gelation approach could be utilized for not only the practical application of polymer gel electrolytes DSCs but also for various energy-storage devices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Su-Jin Ha
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Sogang University , 1 Sinsu-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul 121-742, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Goo Lee
- Center for Interface Materials and Chemical Engineering, Korea Research Institute of Chemistry Technology , 141 Gajeong-Ro, Daejeon 305-600, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Wook Ha
- Center for Interface Materials and Chemical Engineering, Korea Research Institute of Chemistry Technology , 141 Gajeong-Ro, Daejeon 305-600, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun Hyuk Moon
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Sogang University , 1 Sinsu-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul 121-742, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|