Double Linker Triphenylamine Dyes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Recent Advances in Monocomponent Visible Light Photoinitiating Systems Based on Sulfonium Salts

During the last decades, multicomponent photoinitiating systems have been the focus of intense research efforts, especially for the design of visible light photoinitiating systems. Although highly reactive three-component and even four-component photoinitiating systems have been designed, the complexity to elaborate such mixtures has incited researchers to design monocomponent Type II photoinitiators. Using this approach, the photosensitizer and the radical/cation generator can be combined within a unique molecule, greatly simplifying the elaboration of the photocurable resins. In this field, sulfonium salts are remarkable photoinitiators but these structures lack absorption in the visible range. Over the years, various structural modifications have been carried out in order to redshift their absorptions in the visible region. In this work, an overview of the different sulfonium salts activable under visible light and reported to date is proposed.

Computational, Investigational Explorations on Structural, Electro-Optic Behavior of Pelargonidin Organic Colorant for TiO2 Based DSSCs

In an expedition for green-energy generation and to lower the cost per watt of solar energy, environmentally friendly biotic colorants were separated from Tectona grandis seeds. The prime colorant in the extract is pelargonidin which sensitizes titanium dioxide (TiO2)-based photo anodes. The pelargonidin-sensitized TiO2 nanomaterials endured structural, photosensitive, spectral and current-voltage interpretations. Frontier molecular orbital analysis, physicochemical and electronic parameter computation, UV–visible and DOS spectral analysis, van der Waals prediction and molecular electrostatic potential map were performed theoretically with Gaussian tools, and IR symmetry response was computed using the crystal maker software package. The pelargonidin-sensitized TiO2-created dye-sensitized solar cells which exhibited capable solar light energy to photon conversion proficiency. For comparative purposes, the commercial P25 Degussa TiO2-based DSSC was also fabricated and its proficiency was analyzed. The commercial TiO2 exhibited 57 % higher proficiency in comparison to the sol-gel-derived TiO2-based DSSC.

Investigation of the Photon to Charge Conversion and Its Implication on Photovoltaic Cell Efficient Operation

Efficient photon to charge (PTC) transfer is considered to be the cornerstone of technological improvements in the photovoltaic (PV) industry, while it constitutes the most common process in nature. This study aims to investigate the parameters that impact efficient PV-cell photon to charge conversion in two ways: (a) providing a brief research analysis to extract the key features which affect the electrical and optical performance of PV cells’ operation, and (b) investigating the dependance of these characteristics on the photon to charge mechanisms. The former direction focuses on the latest advances regarding the impacts of the microenvironment climate conditions on the PV module and its operational performance, while the latter examines the fundamental determinants of the cell’s efficient operation. The electrical and optical parameters of the bulk PV cells are influenced by both the external microenvironment and the intrinsic photon to charge conversion principles. Light and energy harvesting issues need to be overcome, while nature-inspired interpretation and mimicking of photon to charge and excitation energy transfer are in an infant stage, furthering a better understanding of artificial photosynthesis. A future research orientation is proposed which focuses on scaling up development and making use of the before mentioned challenges.