An insight into device performance and hysteresis in dye-sensitized solar cell using 5-aminovaleric acid and 5-aminovaleric acid hydrochloride as electrolyte additives. (June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Elbohy, Hytham
• Is Part Of: Solar energy. Volume 221(2021)
• Page Start: 375
• Page End: 383
• Publication Date: 2021-06
• Subjects: Dye-sensitized solar cell -- Electrolyte -- Additives -- 5-aminovaleric acid -- Hysteresis; Solar energy -- Periodicals; Solar engines -- Periodicals; 621.47
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2021.04.052
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0038-092X

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Schematic diagram of TiO2 /electrolyte interface (a) before and after adding (b) 5-aminovaleric acid (5-AVA) or (c) 5-aminovaleric acid hydrochloride (5-AVAHCl) and their corresponding J-V curves of DSSCs. Highlights: Using 5-aminovaleric and 5-aminovaleric acid hydrochloride acids as electrolyte additives. Hysteresis in Dye-sensitized solar cell behaves differently for both additives. Dual function to improve the overall device performance. Hysteresis is more significant in case 5-AVAHCl treated electrolyte. Abstract: Electrolyte additives in dye-sensitized solar (DSSC) were used to improve the overall device performance. However, the improvement in one device parameters is usually accompanied with a decay in another. Besides, hysteresis phenomena in DSSC are rarely discussed in when additives are used. Hysteresis calculations and analysis is inevitable to understand how the device behave and how accurately measure the performance. Here, I study the device performance and hysteresis before and after using 5-aminovaleric acid (5-AVA) and 5-aminovaleric acid hydrochloride (5-AVAHCl). These two additives seem similar in chemical structures, but both have totally different effect in device performance and hysteresis. Both additives improve all device performance parameters, JSC, VOC, and FF because they have dual effect. One effect is to increase the ionic conductivity of electrolyte by producing excess of iodide ions ( I - ) and the other is anchoring to TiO2 surface leading to lower electron recombination at TiO2 /electrolyte interface. The optimum 5-AVA and 5-AVAHCl concentration is 0.1 mM. Hysteresis is significant in DSSCs fabricated with electrolyte containing 5-AVAHCl.