Functionalized Carboxylate Deposition for rapid sensitization of dye-sensitized solar cells. (March 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mallam, Venkataiah; Baral, Sanjib; Gyawali, Santosh; Oda, Robert P.; Elbohy, Hytham; Nepal, Jeevan; Qiao, Qiquan; Baroughi, Mahdi Farrokh; Logue, Brian A.
• Is Part Of: Solar energy. Volume 126(2016)
• Page Start: 128
• Page End: 136
• Publication Date: 2016-03
• Subjects: Monolayer -- Gas-phase deposition -- Hybrid materials -- Solar cell fabrication; Solar energy -- Periodicals; Solar engines -- Periodicals; 621.47
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2015.12.044
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0038-092X

Abstract

Highlights: Gas-phase deposition technique called Functionalized Carboxylate Deposition introduced. This technique was used for sensitization of nanoporous TiO2 photoelectrodes. Dye loading time was reduced by 98% while maintaining or increasing cell efficiencies. Abstract: The current state-of-the-art dye loading process for modern dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs), essentially unchanged for the last 24 years, entails dip-coating nanoporous TiO2 photoelectrodes in a concentrated solution of dye for an average of 16 h. This process constitutes up to 80% of the fabrication time, leads to significant dye waste, and necessitates the use of organic solvents. A promising gas-phase deposition technique, coined Functionalized Carboxylate Deposition (FCD), was used to rapidly deposit a self-assembled monolayer of targeted α-carbon modified carboxylic acid containing dye molecules on TiO2 photoelectrodes. The FCD process successfully reduced the dye loading time by 98% (i.e., 15–20 min compared to an average of 16 h). Moreover, the FCD-sensitized photoelectrodes produced DSCs with equivalent or higher efficiencies than dip-coating for the dyes used (both in this study and by other researchers). The performance of FCD dye sensitization in this study indicates its potential applicability as a foundational technology for rapid fabrication of efficient DSCs.