The objective of this research project is to determine the key operational characteristics for realizing efficient, low-cost, stable solar cells based on dyesensitized mesoporous nanostructured films (in collaboration with DOE’s Office of Science Program). Toward this end, we have investigated the structure and the dynamics of electron transport and recombination in dye-sensitized solar cells (...

We report the synthesis and characterization of five new donor–π–spacer–acceptor dye molecules with a diphenylamine donor, fluorene–1,2,5-oxadiazole spacers and a range of acceptor/anchor groups (carboxylic acid 1, cyanoacrylic acid 2 and 3, alcohol 4 and cyano 5) to facilitate electron injection from the excited dye into the TiO2 photoanode in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Detailed photo...

Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) has been applied in photovoltaic devices to improve their photoelectric conversion efficiency. In this study, the mechanism of LSPR dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) was determined. Specifically, silver nanoparticles were formed by evaporating electro-beam equipment and then annealing it a tube furnace. The sizes varied with changes thicknesses during...

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were fabricated with closed- or open-ended freestanding TiO₂ nanotube arrays as photoelectrodes that were decorated with carbon materials and large TiO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) to enhance energy conversion efficiency. The energy conversion efficiency of DSSCs based on open-ended freestanding TiO₂ nanotube arrays increased from 4.47% to 5.39%, compared to the DSSCs...

Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/TiO2 mesoporous networks can be employed as a new alternative photoanode in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). By using the MWCNT/TiO2 mesoporous as photoanodes in DSSC, we demonstrate that the MWCNT/TiO2 mesoporous photoanode is promising alternative to standard FTO/TiO2 mesoporous based DSSC due to larger specific surface area and high electrochemical act...

Achieving highly stable and efficient dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) remains a major challenge for future industrial development. In the present work, series of ionic conductors, such as liquids (ILs), polysiloxane-based poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs), their blends are employed electrolytes in quasi-solid-state DSSCs. particular, we study effect PILs functionality interaction with ILs ethylene ...

Platinum nanocubes (PtNCs) were deposited onto a fluorine-doped tin oxide glass by electrochemical deposition (ECD) method and utilized as a counter electrode (CE) for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). In this study, we controlled the growth of the crystalline plane to synthesize the single-crystal PtNCs at room temperature. The morphologies and crystalline nanostructure of the ECD PtNCs were...

Graphene has been envisaged as a highly promising material for various field emission devices, supercapacitors, photocatalysts, sensors, electroanalytical systems, fuel cells and photovoltaics. The main goal of our work is to develop new Pt and transparent conductive oxide (TCO) free graphene based counter electrodes (CEs) for dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). We have prepared new composites ...

In the current study, pure TiO2 and Cr-doped TiO2 (Cr@TiO2) nanoparticles were synthesized via sol-gel method and the resulting materials were applied to prepare the porous TiO2 electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). It is hypothesized that the advantages of the doping of the metal ions into TiO2 lattice are the temporary rapping of the photogenerated electron-hole (charge carriers)...