Influence of interface modification on the performance of polymer/Bi2S3 nanorods bulk heterojunction solar cells

In this paper, bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices based on the poly[2-methoxy-5-(3',7'-dimethyloctyloxy)- 1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MDMO-PPV):Bi2S3 nanorods hybrid material were present. To optimize the performance of the devices, the interface modification of the hybrid material that has a significant impact on the exciton dissociation efficiency was studied. An improvement in the device performance was achieved by modifying the Bi2S3 surface with a thin dye layer. Moreover, modifying the Bi2S3 surface with anthracene-9-carboxylic acid can enhance the performance further. Compared with the solar cells with Bi2S3 nanorods hybrid with the MDMO-PPV as the active layer, the anthracene-9carboxylic acid modified devices are better in performance, with the power conversion efficiency higher by about one order in magnitude.

A new heteroleptic ruthenium sensitizer enhances the absorptivity of mesoporous titania film for a high efficiency dye-sensitized solar cell

A heteroleptic polypyridyl ruthenium complex, cis-Ru(4,4'-bis(5-octylthieno[3,2-b]thiophen-2-yl)-2,2'-bipyridine)(4,4'-dicarboxyl-2,2'-bipyridine)(NCS) 2, with a high molar extinction coefficient of 20.5 x 10(3) M-1 cm(-1) at 553 nm has been synthesized and demonstrated as a highly efficient sensitizer for a dye-sensitized solar cell, giving a power conversion efficiency of 10.53% measured under an irradiation of air mass 1.5 global ( AM 1.5G) full sunlight.

Tetrahydrothiophenium-based ionic liquids for high efficiency dye-sensitized solar cells

Binary melts of S-ethyltetrahydrothiophenium iodide and dicyanoamide (or tricyanomethide) have been employed for dye-sensitized solar cells with high power conversion efficiencies up to 6.9% under the illumination of AM 1.5G full sunlight. We have further shown that the transport of triiodide in ionic liquids with high iodide concentration is viscosity-dependent in terms of a physical diffusion coupled bond exchange mechanism apart from the simple physical diffusion.

Effects of thermal annealing on polymer photovoltaic cells with buffer layers and in situ formation of interfacial layer for enhancing power conversion efficiency

We have investigated the effects of thermal annealing before and after cathode deposition on poly(3-hexylthiophene)(P3HT)/[6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) blend photovoltaic cells with different cathode buffer layers. The introduction of cathode buffer layer such as lithium fluoride (LiF) and calcium oxide (CaO) in pre-annealing cells can increase the open-circuit voltage (V-oc) and the power conversion efficiency (PCE). Post thermal annealing after cathode deposition further enhanced the PCE of the cells with LiF/Al cathode.

High efficiency and stable dye-sensitized solar cells with an organic chromophore featuring a binary pi-conjugated spacer

We employed a binary spacer of orderly conjugated 3,4-ethyldioxythiophene and thienothiophene to construct a wide-spectral response organic chromophore for dye-sensitized solar cells, exhibiting a high power conversion efficiency of 9.8% measured under irradiation of 100 mW cm(-2) air mass 1.5 global (AM1.5G) sunlight and an excellent stability.

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells with a High Absorptivity Ruthenium Sensitizer Featuring a 2-(Hexylthio)thiophene Conjugated Bipyridine

We conjugated 2-(hexylthio)thiophene with bipyridine to construct a new heteroleptic polypyridyl ruthenium sensitizer exhibiting a charge-transfer band at 550 nm with a molar extinction coefficient of 18.7 x 10(3) M-1 cm(-1). In contrast to its analogues Z907 and C101, a mesoporous titania film stained with this new sensitizer featured a short light absorption length, allowing for the use of a thin photoactive layer for efficient light-harvesting and conversion of solar energy to electricity. With a preliminary testing, we have reached 11.4% overall power conversion efficiency measured at the air mass 1.5 global conditions. Transient photoelectrical decays and electrical impedance spectra were analyzed to picture the intrinsic physics of temperature-dependent photovoltage and photocurrent.

An Extremely High Molar Extinction Coefficient Ruthenium Sensitizer in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: The Effects of pi-Conjugation Extension

We report a heteroleptic ruthenium complex (007) featuring the electron-rich 5-octyl-2,2'-bis(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) moiety conjugated with 2,2-bipyridine and exhibiting 10.7% power conversion efficiency measured at the AM1.5G conditions, thanks to the enhanced light-harvesting that is closely related to photocurrent. This C107 sensitizer has an extremely high molar extinction coefficient,of 27.4 x 10(3) M-1 cm(-1) at 559 nm in comparison to its analogue C103 (20.5 x 10(3) M-1 cm(-1) at 550 nm) or Z907 (12.2 x 10(3) M(-1)cm(-1) at 521 nm) with the corresponding 5-hexyl-3,4-ethylenedioxythiopliene- or nonyl-substituted bipyridyl unit. The augmentation of molar extinction coefficients and the bathochromic shift of low-energy absorption peaks along with the pi-conjugation extension are detailed by TD-DFT calculations. The absorptivity of mesoporous titania films grafted with Z907, C103, or C107 sublinearly increases with the molar extinction coefficient of sensitizers, which is consistent with the finding derived from the surface coverage measurements that the packing density of those sensitizers decreases with the geometric enlargement of ancillary ligands.

Solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells using TiO2 nanotube arrays on FTO glass

Highly ordered, vertically oriented TiO2 nanotube arrays were prepared by potentiostatic anodization of titanium on FTO-coated glass substrate and for the first time successfully applied in the fabrication of solid-state dye sensitized solar cells (SSDSCs), giving a power conversion efficiency of 1.67% measured under an irradiation of air mass 1.5 global (AM 1.5 G) full sunlight. Furthermore, 3.8% efficiency was reached with a 2.8 mu m thin TiO2 nanotube array film based on a metal free organic dye using ionic liquid electrolyte.

Toward high-performance polymer solar cells: The importance of morphology control

Polymer solar cells have the potential to become a major electrical power generating tool in the 21st century. R&D endeavors are focusing on continuous roll-to-roll printing of polymeric or organic compounds from solution-like newspapers-to produce flexible and lightweight devices at low cost. It is recognized, though, that besides the functional properties of the compounds the organization of structures on the nanometer level-forced and controlled mainly by the processing conditions applied-determines the performance of state-of-the-art polymer solar cells. In such devices the photoactive layer is composed of at least two functional materials that form nanoscale interpenetrating phases with specific functionalities, a so-called bulk heterojunction. In this perspective article, our current knowledge on the main factors determining the morphology formation and evolution is introduced, and gaps of our understanding on nanoscale structure-property relations in the field of high-performance polymer solar cells are addressed. Finally, promising routes toward formation of tailored morphologies are presented.

Synthesis and thermoelectric properties of Ca2.6Nd0.4Co4O9 compound

The layered cobaltite Ca2.6Nd0.4Co4O9 was synthesized by the solid-state reaction. Their crystal structure was determined by the X-ray powder diffraction and CELL program. The prepared Ca2.6Nd0.4Co4O9 compound has the monoclinic symmetry. The electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient were measured from room temperature to 700 degreesC in air. Both the properties increase while rising temperature. The thermoelectric power of Ca2.6Nd0.4Co4O9 is about 242.4 muV (.) K-1. The results imply a promising way to enhance the thermoelectric properties of the layered cobaltite oxides by optimizing their composition and microstructure.

Energy harvesting system design and optimization for wireless sensor networks

Wireless sensor networks (WSN) are becoming widely adopted for many applications including complicated tasks like building energy management. However, one major concern for WSN technologies is the short lifetime and high maintenance cost due to the limited battery energy. One of the solutions is to scavenge ambient energy, which is then rectified to power the WSN. The objective of this thesis was to investigate the feasibility of an ultra-low energy consumption power management system suitable for harvesting sub-mW photovoltaic and thermoelectric energy to power WSNs. To achieve this goal, energy harvesting system architectures have been analyzed. Detailed analysis of energy storage units (ESU) have led to an innovative ESU solution for the target applications. Battery-less, long-lifetime ESU and its associated power management circuitry, including fast-charge circuit, self-start circuit, output voltage regulation circuit and hybrid ESU, using a combination of super-capacitor and thin film battery, were developed to achieve continuous operation of energy harvester. Low start-up voltage DC/DC converters have been developed for 1mW level thermoelectric energy harvesting. The novel method of altering thermoelectric generator (TEG) configuration in order to match impedance has been verified in this work. Novel maximum power point tracking (MPPT) circuits, exploring the fractional open circuit voltage method, were particularly developed to suit the sub-1mW photovoltaic energy harvesting applications. The MPPT energy model has been developed and verified against both SPICE simulation and implemented prototypes. Both indoor light and thermoelectric energy harvesting methods proposed in this thesis have been implemented into prototype devices. The improved indoor light energy harvester prototype demonstrates 81% MPPT conversion efficiency with 0.5mW input power. This important improvement makes light energy harvesting from small energy sources (i.e. credit card size solar panel in 500lux indoor lighting conditions) a feasible approach. The 50mm × 54mm thermoelectric energy harvester prototype generates 0.95mW when placed on a 60oC heat source with 28% conversion efficiency. Both prototypes can be used to continuously power WSN for building energy management applications in typical office building environment. In addition to the hardware development, a comprehensive system energy model has been developed. This system energy model not only can be used to predict the available and consumed energy based on real-world ambient conditions, but also can be employed to optimize the system design and configuration. This energy model has been verified by indoor photovoltaic energy harvesting system prototypes in long-term deployed experiments.

Mechanically stacked solar cells for concentrator photovoltaics

The power output of dual-junction mechanically stacked solar cells comprising different sub-cell materials in a terrestrial concentrating photovoltaic module has been evaluated. The ideal bandgap combination of both cells in a stack was found using EtaOpt. A combination of 1.4 eV and 0.7 eV has been found to produce the highest photovoltaic conversion efficiency under the AM1.5 Direct Solar Spectrum with x500 concentration. As EtaOpt does not consider the absorption profile of solar cell materials; the practical power output per unit area of a dual junction mechanically stacked solar cell has been modelled considering the optical absorption co-efficients and thicknesses of the individual solar cells. The model considered a GaAs top cell and a Ge, GaSb, Ga0.47In0.53As or Si bottom cell. It was found that GaSb gives the highest power contribution as a bottom cell in a dual junction configuration followed by Ge and GaInAs. While the additional power provided by a Si bottom cell is less than these it remains a suitable candidate for a bottom cell owing to its lower cost

The potential of natural, photosynthetic pigments to improve the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells

Gemstone Team Grenergy

Analysis of ocean power extraction capabilites of a rotary wave energy conversion system

Gemstone Team WAVES (Water and Versatile Energy Systems)

Laminar Free Convection from a Vertically-Oriented Concentrated Photovoltaic Cell with Uniform Surface Heat Flux

This research project uses field measurements to investigate the cooling of a triple-junction, photovoltaic cell under natural convection when subjected to various amounts of insolation. The team built an experimental apparatus consisting of a mirror and Fresnel lens to concentrate light onto a triple-junction photovoltaic cell, mounted vertically on a copper heat sink. Measurements were taken year-round to provide a wide range of ambient conditions. A surface was then generated, in MATLAB, using Sparrow’s model for natural convection on a vertical plate under constant heat flux. This surface can be used to find the expected operating temperature of a cell at any location, given the ambient temperature and insolation. This research is an important contribution to the industry because it utilizes field data that represents how a cell would react under normal operation. It also extends the use of a well-known model from a one-sun environment to a multi-sun one.