Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2brh9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T10:53:16.010Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Low-Cost, Large-Area Nanocrystalline TiO2 -Polymer Solar Cells on Flexible Plastics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2011

Krishna C. Mandal
Affiliation:
EIC Laboratories, Inc., Norwood, MA. 02062–2612, USA
Anton Smirnov
Affiliation:
EIC Laboratories, Inc., Norwood, MA. 02062–2612, USA
D. Peramunage
Affiliation:
EIC Laboratories, Inc., Norwood, MA. 02062–2612, USA
R. David Rauh
Affiliation:
EIC Laboratories, Inc., Norwood, MA. 02062–2612, USA
Get access

Abstract

This paper describes our recent research on the development of fully flexible and low-cost dye-sensitized nanocrystalline TiO2 solar cells (DSSC). At EIC Laboratories, we have developed various large-area solid-state versions, which include both ionically, and hole-conducting allpolymer DSSCs made by continuous coating and lamination process. Various critical steps involve ∼10 micron thick nanocrystalline TiO2 film deposition on conducting PET plastics by various methods such as spraying, spin coating, and screen printing, a low temperature sintering (∼150°C) process, and polymer laminated electrolyte have been demonstrated as valuable active components. The photovoltaic (PV) performance presented in this paper show the fabricated solar cells of ∼1.2 cm2 area with reproducible AM1.5 (Air Mass 1.5) efficiencies of 4.7%. A prototype solar cell with a new hole conducting star polymer with AM 1.5 efficiency ∼2.12% has been thoroughly characterized and discussed.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2003

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. O'Regan, B. and Grätzel, M., Nature (London) 335, 737 (1991).Google Scholar
2. Trentler, T. J., Denler, T. E., Bertone, J. F., Agrawal, A., and Colvin, Vicki L., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 121, 1613 (1999).Google Scholar
3. Mandal, Krishna C., Peramunage, D., Smirnov, Anton, and David Rauh, R., To be published.Google Scholar
4. Wang, F., Wilson, M.S., Rauh, R.D., Schottland, P., and Reynolds, J.R., Macromolecules, 32, 4272, 1999 Google Scholar
5. Nazeeruddin, M.K., Kay, A., Rodicio, I., Humphry-Baker, R., Müller, E., Liska, P., Vlachopoulos, N., and Grätzel, M., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 115, 6382 (1993)Google Scholar
6. Mandal, K. C., Dille, B.K., Rauh, R.D., and Savadogo, O., MRS Fall Meeting, Boston, 1999.Google Scholar