Efficient platinum-free counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cell applications.

Nanoporous layers of poly(3,4-propylenedioxythiophene) (PProDOT) were fabricated by electrical-field-assisted growth using hydrophobic ionic liquids as the growing medium. A series of PProDoT layers was prepared with three different ionic liquids to control the microstructure and electrochemical properties of the resulting dye-sensitized solar cells, which were highly efficient and showed a power conversion efficiency of >9% under different sunlight intensities. The current-voltage characteristics of the counter electrodes varied depending on the ionic liquids used in the synthesis of PProDOT. The most hydrophobic ionic liquids exhibited high catalytic properties, thus resulting in high power conversion efficiency and allowing the fabrication of platinum-free, stable, flexible, and cost-effective dye-sensitized solar cells.

[1]  Shahzad Ahmad,et al.  Electrochromic device based on carbon nanotubes functionalized poly (methyl pyrrole) synthesized in hydrophobic ionic liquid medium , 2008 .

[2]  Michael Grätzel,et al.  Recent advances in sensitized mesoscopic solar cells. , 2009, Accounts of chemical research.

[3]  L. Peter,et al.  Determination of the density and energetic distribution of electron traps in dye-sensitized nanocrystalline solar cells. , 2005, The journal of physical chemistry. B.

[4]  Kazuhiko Murata,et al.  High-performance carbon counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells , 2003 .

[5]  Qing Wang,et al.  Highly Efficient Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Based on Carbon Black Counter Electrodes , 2006 .

[6]  Peng Wang,et al.  A stable quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell with an amphiphilic ruthenium sensitizer and polymer gel electrolyte , 2003, Nature materials.

[7]  Wilhelm Warta,et al.  Solar cell efficiency tables (version 30) , 2007 .

[8]  J. Nelson,et al.  Iodide Electron Transfer Kinetics in Dye-Sensitized Nanocrystalline TiO2 Films , 2002 .

[9]  Michael Grätzel,et al.  Low cost photovoltaic modules based on dye sensitized nanocrystalline titanium dioxide and carbon powder , 1996 .

[10]  Arthur J. Frank,et al.  CHARGE RECOMBINATION IN DYE-SENSITIZED NANOCRYSTALLINE TIO2 SOLAR CELLS , 1997 .

[11]  Takayuki Kitamura,et al.  Role of electrolytes on charge recombination in dye-sensitized TiO(2) solar cell (1): the case of solar cells using the I(-)/I(3)(-) redox couple. , 2005, The journal of physical chemistry. B.

[12]  Peng Wang,et al.  Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Based on Organic Sensitizers with Different Conjugated Linkers: Furan, Bifuran, Thiophene, Bithiophene, Selenophene, and Biselenophene , 2009 .

[13]  Nikos Kopidakis,et al.  Effect of an adsorbent on recombination and band-edge movement in dye-sensitized TiO2 solar cells: evidence for surface passivation. , 2006, The journal of physical chemistry. B.

[14]  Zhang Lan,et al.  Application of microporous polyaniline counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells , 2008 .

[15]  Frederik C. Krebs,et al.  Quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells: Pt and PEDOT:PSS counter electrodes applied to gel electrolyte assemblies , 2007 .

[16]  Michael Grätzel,et al.  Influence of 4-guanidinobutyric acid as coadsorbent in reducing recombination in dye-sensitized solar cells. , 2005, The journal of physical chemistry. B.

[17]  K. Wijayantha,et al.  A novel charge extraction method for the study of electron transport and interfacial transfer in dye sensitised nanocrystalline solar cells , 2000 .

[18]  Michael Grätzel,et al.  Alkyl chain barriers for kinetic optimization in dye-sensitized solar cells. , 2006, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[19]  Kuo-Chuan Ho,et al.  Highly porous PProDOT-Et2 film as counter electrode for plastic dye-sensitized solar cells. , 2009, Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP.

[20]  Takayuki Kitamura,et al.  Volatile solvent-free solid-state polymer-sensitized TiO2 solar cells with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) as a hole-transporting medium. , 2005, Chemical communications.

[21]  M. Grätzel,et al.  Effect of coadsorbent on the photovoltaic performance of squaraine sensitized nanocrystalline solar cells , 2008, Nanotechnology.

[22]  Peng Wang,et al.  Charge separation and efficient light energy conversion in sensitized mesoscopic solar cells based on binary ionic liquids. , 2005, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[23]  Michael Grätzel,et al.  Investigation of Sensitizer Adsorption and the Influence of Protons on Current and Voltage of a Dye-Sensitized Nanocrystalline TiO2 Solar Cell , 2003 .

[24]  Michael Grätzel,et al.  Dye-Sensitized Core−Shell Nanocrystals: Improved Efficiency of Mesoporous Tin Oxide Electrodes Coated with a Thin Layer of an Insulating Oxide , 2002 .

[25]  J. Feliu,et al.  Electrochemical properties of thin films of polythiophene polymerized on Basal plane platinum electrodes in nonaqueous media. , 2009, The journal of physical chemistry. B.

[26]  Emilio Palomares,et al.  Control of charge recombination dynamics in dye sensitized solar cells by the use of conformally deposited metal oxide blocking layers. , 2003, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[27]  David R. Klug,et al.  Parameters Influencing Charge Recombination Kinetics in Dye-Sensitized Nanocrystalline Titanium Dioxide Films , 2000 .

[28]  Brett D. Martin,et al.  Towards a Transparent, Highly Conductive Poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) , 2004 .

[29]  M. Deepa,et al.  Electrochemical synthesis and surface characterization of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) films grown in an ionic liquid. , 2007, Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids.

[30]  Anilesh Kumar,et al.  Processable, Regioregular, and “Click”able Monomer and Polymers Based on 3,4-Propylenedioxythiophene with Tunable Solubility , 2009 .

[31]  H. Butt,et al.  Electrical field assisted growth of poly(3-hexylthiophene) layers employing ionic liquids: microstructure elucidated by scanning force and electron microscopy , 2010 .

[32]  A. J. Frank,et al.  Band Edge Movement and Recombination Kinetics in Dye-Sensitized Nanocrystalline TiO2 Solar Cells: A Study by Intensity Modulated Photovoltage Spectroscopy , 1997 .

[33]  Anders Hagfeldt,et al.  Molecular engineering of organic sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cell applications. , 2008, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[34]  Jian Sun,et al.  A new structure of counter electrode used for dye‐sensitized solar cells , 2010 .

[35]  Maria Forsyth,et al.  High Rates of Oxygen Reduction over a Vapor Phase–Polymerized PEDOT Electrode , 2008, Science.

[36]  M. Grätzel,et al.  Effect of coadsorbent on the photovoltaic performance of zinc pthalocyanine-sensitized solar cells. , 2008, Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids.

[37]  Takayuki Kitamura,et al.  I−/I3− redox reaction behavior on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells , 2004 .

[38]  K. Ho,et al.  A high-performance counter electrode based on poly(3,4-alkylenedioxythiophene) for dye-sensitized solar cells , 2009 .

[39]  N. Papageorgiou,et al.  Counter-electrode function in nanocrystalline photoelectrochemical cell configurations , 2004 .

[40]  Mohammad Khaja Nazeeruddin,et al.  Dye-sensitized solar cells based on poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) counter electrode derived from ionic liquids , 2010 .

[41]  Mikio Kumagai,et al.  Application of Carbon Nanotubes to Counter Electrodes of Dye-sensitized Solar Cells , 2003 .

[42]  J. Durrant,et al.  Kinetic and energetic paradigms for dye-sensitized solar cells: moving from the ideal to the real. , 2009, Accounts of chemical research.