Role of temperature in the recombination reaction on dye-sensitized solar cells

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2015

Authors

J. Maçaira (Author) FEUP; I. Mesquita (Author) FEUP; L. Andrade (Author) FEUP; A. Mendes (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics

Vol. 17

Pages: 22699-22710

ISSN: 1463-9076

Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 18 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 25 Citations

INSPEC

Scientific classification

CORDIS: Technological sciences > Engineering > Chemical engineering

FOS: Engineering and technology > Chemical engineering

Associated Projects

LEPAE/CEFT - RL1 - Chemical Engineering: Process Optimization and Energy Conversion

SolarConcept - Novas abordagens para aumento de eficiência das DSCs e sua melhor compreensão

LEPABE - Laboratório de Engenharia de Processos, Ambiente, Biotecnologia e Energia

WINDSC - Desenvolvimento e aumento de escala de módulos DSC baseado nas tecnologias inovadoras ETCO e selagem com vidro

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00G-JPJ

DOI: 10.1039/c5cp02942b

Abstract (EN): The performance of photovoltaic (PV) devices as a function of temperature is crucial for technical development and for accurate commercial information. Along with solar irradiance, temperature is the most important operating factor of the PV device performance. Normally, it is widely accepted that dye sensitized solar cells (DSC) show minimal energy efficiency dependence with temperature (20–60 1C). The energy efficiency in DSCs depends on the light absorption, charge transport (ohmic resistances) and recombination rates. In this study, the recombination reaction kinetics was studied within a wide temperature range. A unique laser assisted sealing technique that allows studying the temperature effect between 5 1C and 105 1C without electrolyte leakage or external contamination was used. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest operating temperature ever considered in kinetic studies of liquid state DSCs. The electrochemical reaction between electrons and triiodide/iodide ions was shown to be the most important factor for determining the energy efficiency of DSCs as a function of temperature. It was concluded that the activation energy of the recombination reactions depends on the interface where it happens – TiO2/electrolyte and SnO2–F/electrolyte – and on the temperature. It was found that in addition to temperature having a deep influence on the recombination reaction rate, the energy of the injecting electron is also critical. These conclusions should provide solid ground for further developments in the DSCs and perovskite solar cells, and allow a better comparison of the energy efficiency of different PV technologies over a range of operating temperatures.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 12