T metal complexes, and particularly ruthenium polypyridine complexes, can be used as catalysts or photocatalysts capable of performing water oxidation [1] or oxidation of organic compounds.[2,3] They can also be used as chromophores to harvest solar energy due to their absorption in the visible region. Therefore, understanding the nature of the electronic excited states in transition-metal comp...

The hole transporting medium in solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells can be utilized to harvest sunlight. Herein we demonstrate that a triphenylamine-based dye, used as hole-transporting medium, contributes to the photocurrent in a squaraine-sensitized solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell. Steady-state photoluminescence measurements have been used to distinguish between electron transfer and...

Photovoltaic converters are important converters for the application of renewable energy sources because of the direct conversion of solar energy to electric energy. They have some advantages such as low weight and feasibility of small scales, but they are more expensive compared to other types of energy converters. Therefore, it is important to absorb the maximum solar energy in order to incre...

Faced with an alarming increase of energy consumption on one side, and very limiting amounts of available conventional energy sources on the other, scientists have turned to the most promising, renewable energy sources. Possibilities for the application of solar systems based on photovoltaic conversion of solar energy are very wide, primarily because of their relatively low cost and very import...

Dye-sensitized solar cells with an energy storage function are demonstrated by modifying its counter electrode with a poly (vinylidene fluoride)/ZnO nanowire array composite. This simplex device could still function as an ordinary solar cell with a steady photocurrent output even after being fully charged. An energy storage density of 2.14 C g(-1) is achieved, while simultaneously a 3.70% photo...

Parametric studies of the effects of slip irreversibility in concentrating solar power (CSP)-powered bio-digester assemblies are investigated. Complexities regarding the identification of the appropriate electro-kinetic phenomena for certain electrolyte phases are reviewed. The application of exergy analysis to the design of energy conversion devices, like solar thermal collectors, for the requ...

In this investigation, Ag@TiO2 nanocomposite was prepared by deposition of silver nanoclusters onto commercial TiO2 nanoparticles (known as P25 TiO2) via photodeposition technique as clean and simple photochemical route. The synthesized Ag@TiO2 nanocomposite was utilized in the fabrication of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) chiefly because, compared ...

Two organic compounds (SC-23=(E)-2-Cyano-3-(2,3-dimethoxyphenyl) acrylic acid and SC-25=(E)-2-Cyano-3-(2,5-dimethoxyphenyl) acrylic acid) involving methoxy groups as the electron donor and cyanoacrylic acid group as the electron acceptor have been investigated for dye sensitized solar cells. They shows a short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 2.08 and 1.81 mA cm-2, an open circuit voltage (Voc)...

It is estimated that the world will need to double its energy supply by 2050. Nanotechnology has opened up new frontiers in materials science and engineering to meet this challenge by creating new materials, particularly carbon nanomaterials, for efficient energy conversion and storage. Comparing to conventional energy materials, carbon nanomaterials possess unique size-/surface-dependent (e.g....

In this study, reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) nanocomposites were prepared by employing in situ polymerization and solution blending methods. In terms of mechanical properties, RGO loading increased the Young’s modulus but decreased the elongation at break for RGO/PMMA nanocomposites. Tensile strength for solution blended RGO/PMMA nanocomposites increased after addi...