Calligraphic solar cells: acknowledging paper and pencil
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Pradeep Ramiah Rajasekaran Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Ratnasabapathy Iyer Department of Chemistry, Claflin University, Orangeburg, SC 29115, USA
Punit Kohlia) Department of Chemistry, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA (Received 29 January 2016; accepted 19 July 2016)
We demonstrate fabrication and characterization of photovoltaic (PV) devices made using pencil, paper, and commonly available economical chemicals with a power conversion efficiency of ;1.8%. The current collecting electrode of the device composed of multilayered graphene (MuLG) was hand-drawn on the cellulosic paper using an H2B pencil. CdSe quantum dots (QD) were used for charge generation, and 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA) as a bridging molecule to facilitate transfer of the photo-induced charges to the electrodes through MuLG. MuLG acted both as charge carrier and current collector electrode. The device fabrication and testing were accomplished in a wet lab under ambient conditions with minimum use of sophisticated instrumentation. The materials and devices were characterized using UV–visible, fluorescence, x-ray diffraction spectroscopy, and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. I–V characteristics of the PV devices fabricated on paper and polyester transparency substrates were performed using a solar simulator (AM 1.5) under ambient wet laboratory conditions. The use of pencil and paper makes the device fabrication simple, environmentally responsible, and accessible to layperson thus opening a new window for low cost PV and opto-electronic devices.
I. INTRODUCTION
Efficient harnessing of solar energy can provide an alternative solution for our energy crisis resulting from dwindling fossil fuels1; increasing greenhouse gases2; and an increasing population aspiring to energy consumption similar to that of developed world.3 Current practical approach to exploit this energy is to convert it into electrical energy (photovoltaic effect) using solar cells. Current mass-produced commercial photovoltaic cells traditionally use amorphous silicon as an active material.4 The photo conversion efficiency (PCE) of such a cell is generally about 13.6%. Improved PCE is obtained using crystalline silicon-based devices (;25.6%)18 but at a much higher cost.5 Several other high efficiency solar cells such as cadmium indium gallium selenide with a PCE of ;26–29%, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) with a PCE of .11.5%, and perovskite-based cells with a PCE of 18% are known. All these solar cells are generally more expensive, may use hazardous chemicals and provide lower energy per dollar than conventional fossil fuels. Contributing Editor: Edward M. Sabolsky a) Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected] DOI: 10.1557/jmr.2016.281
For solar cell technology to successfully compete with fossil fuels, the cost of solar cells must decrease and the efficiency of photon-to-current conversion efficiency must increase.6,7 Carbon-based materials such as
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