Testing of dye sensitized TiO2 solar cells I: Experimental photocurrent output and conversion efficiencies

✍ Scribed by Greg Smestad; Carlo Bignozzi; Roberto Argazzi

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1994
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 902 KB
• Volume: 32
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0927-0248
• DOI: 10.1016/0927-0248(94)90263-1

✦ Synopsis

Recently, a paper was published by the Lausanne Group headed by Dr. M. Graetzel which reported a simple low cost 7% efficient photo electrochemical solar cell made from a trinuclear Ru dye complex adsorbed on the very rough surface of a colloidal TiO 2 film. In the current paper, a verification of this result is presented using procedures described in the literature. Measurements are reported in simulated and natural sunlight which confirm that the efficiency is indeed in the range previously reported. Predicted Air Mass 1.5 photo currents are compared to those obtained from fabricated dye sensitized cells. Although current densities of 12 mA/cm 2 and voltages of over 0.6 V are measured, it is found that corresponding fill factors, less than 0.6, limit the performance of the cell under solar illumination. The basic economics of such a device are outlined and it is proposed that cell costs of $ 0.6 per peak watt could be possible if the longevity of the cell is at least 15 years.