Sol-Gel Derived Carbon Electrode for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
Author Affiliations
- 1Department of Physics and Industrial Physics, Madonna University, Elele, NIGERIA
- 2 Department of Physics and Industrial Physics, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, NIGERIA
Res.J.chem.sci., Volume 1, Issue (8), Pages 76-79, November,18 (2011)
Abstract
This work is based on the procedure for obtaining carbon paste electrode through the sol-gel technique and its application as counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells. Through the hydrolysis of the precursor (tin II chloride), followed by polycondensation reaction, we were able to obtain our colloidal suspension. Our carbon paste comprises an equal amount of well blended powdered activated carbon (PAC) and natural graphite powder (NGP) mixed with the polymeric sol. The carbon paste was squeezed onto a fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrate. We were able to reduce the sheet resistance of the carbon electrode from 212.1 ohms/square to 15.4 ohms/square. A dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) fabricated with the carbon paste electrode and sensitized with chlorin dye showed a photoelectric energy conversion efficiency of 1.01%
References
- Mansor A.H. and IsmaDioxide (TiO) thin films by sol gel dip coating method, Malaysian J. Chem.,5(1), 086-091 (2003)
- Inanova T., Harizanova A., Surtchev M. and NenovaInvestigation of sol-dioxide doped with vanadium oxide, Cells, 76, 591-598 (2003)
- Klein L.C. and Garvey G.J., Kinetics of the Sol-Gel Transition, J. Non-Cryatalline Solids 1 (38), 45 (1980)
- Brinker C.J., Sol-Gel Transition in Simple Silicates, Non-Crystalline Solids 48, 47 (1982)
- Lenzmann F.O. and Kroon J.M., Recent Advances in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells, 10 (2007)
- Kopidakis N., Neale N.R., Lagemaat J. and FrTailoring the Interface to Improve Voc in DyeSensitized Solar Cells, 590-37056, 1-2 (2005)
- Ding I., Melas J., Cevey N.L., Chittibabu K.G., Zakeeruddin S.M., Gratzel M. and McGehee M.D., Deposition of hole-transport matsensitized solar cells by doctor 11, 1217-1222, (2010)
- Waita S.M., Mwabora J.M., Aduda B.O., Niklasson G.A., Lindquist S.E. and Granqvist C.G., Performance of Dye Sensitized Solar Cells Fabricated from ObliquelyDC Sputtered TiO2 Films, Afr. J. Sci. Tech., 7 (2), 106-119 (2006)
- Wang L., Xing W., Zhuo S. and Shuping Z., A Novel Counter electrode based on mesoporous carbon for dyesensitized solar cell, Mat. Chem. Phy, 123, 690 – 694 (2010)
- Huang Z., Liu X., Li K., Li D., Luo Y., Li H., Song W., Chen L. and Meng Q., Application of carbon materials as counter electrodes of dye-sensitized solar cells, Electrochem. Communications, 9, 596-598, (2007)
- Shustak G., Marx S., Turyan I. and Mandler D., Application of sol-gel technology for electroanalytical sensing, Electroanal., 15, 398 – 408 (2003)
- Ozuomba J.O., Ekpunobi A.J. and Ekwo P.I., The photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cell based on chlorine local dye, Chalcogenide Letters, 8 (3), 155-161 (2011)
