Array of solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells with micropatterned TiO 2 nanoparticles for a high-voltage power source
- PDF / 757,022 Bytes
- 5 Pages / 595.28 x 793.7 pts Page_size
- 45 Downloads / 147 Views
NANO EXPRESS
Open Access
Array of solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells with micropatterned TiO2 nanoparticles for a high-voltage power source Seong-Min Cho1, Hea-Lim Park1, Min-Hoi Kim2, Se-Um Kim1 and Sin-Doo Lee1*
Abstract We demonstrate an array of solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (SS-DSSCs) for a high-voltage power source based on micropatterned titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TNPs) as photoanodes connected in series. The underlying concept of patterning the TNP of a few micrometers thick lies on the combination of the lift-off process of transferprinted patterns of a sacrificial layer and the soft-cure treatment of the TNP for fixation. This sacrificial layer approach allows for high pattern fidelity and stability, and it enables to construct stable, micrometer-thick, and contamination-free TNP patterns for developing the SS-DSSC array for miniature high-voltage applications. The array of 20 SS-DSSCs integrated in series is found to show a voltage output of around 7 V. Keywords: Titanium dioxide nanoparticle; Micropatterning; Solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell; High-voltage source PACS: 81.16.Rf; 85.40.Hp; 84.60.Jt
Background Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) with mesoporous titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (TNPs) have been considered as a promising alternative to conventional inorganic solar cells due to their relatively high power conversion efficiencies and low production cost [1]. So far, much effort has been made toward the enhancement of the power conversion efficiency of the DSSCs [2-4]. Together with the improvement of the power conversion efficiency, the generation of high output voltage is one of the critical issues for practical applications. The issue of the high voltage generation of the DSSCs has been addressed only in a unit cell producing limited output voltages of around 1 V [5-7], which is far below the voltages required for most practical devices, for example, around 4 V for mobile phones. Thus, the integration of DSSCs needs to be pursued for high-voltage sources. Owing to the excellent electron transport characteristics, stability, and appropriate conduction band position, a TNP layer is promising for use as a photoanode in the DSSC [8]. Therefore, for the integration of a DSSC * Correspondence: [email protected] 1 School of Electrical Engineering, Seoul National University, Kwanak, PO Box 34, Seoul 151-600, South Korea Full list of author information is available at the end of the article
array, a reliable patterning technique of the TNP layer should be developed. In patterning the TNP, several methods such as solventassisted soft lithography [9], micromolding technique in capillaries [10], and imprint lithography [11] have been typically employed, but they involve the difficulty of patterning multiple stacks of the TNP and eliminating the residual layer. In other words, these patterning methods are not applicable for constructing relatively thick (a few micrometers) and stable TNP patterns demanded for sufficiently high absorption of light in the DSSCs [12]. Mo
Data Loading...
