6533b827fe1ef96bd1287172

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Investigation of recovery mechanisms in dye sensitized solar cells

Ilaria CitroViviana FigaSalvatore LombardoG. Di MarcoAndrea ScutoClara ChiapparaGiuseppe CalogeroBruno PignataroFabio Principato

subject

Materials sciencechemistry.chemical_elementImpedance spectroscopy02 engineering and technologyElectrolyte010402 general chemistryPhotochemistryDye-sensitized solar cells01 natural sciencesIonchemistry.chemical_compoundCurrent–voltage transientGeneral Materials ScienceTriiodideRenewable Energy Sustainability and the Environmentbusiness.industryOpen-circuit voltageElectron lifetimesCurrent-voltage transients021001 nanoscience & nanotechnologyElectron lifetimes.0104 chemical sciencesDielectric spectroscopyRutheniumDye-sensitized solar cellchemistryOptoelectronics0210 nano-technologybusinessDye-sensitized solar cellShort circuit

description

Abstract We study the spontaneous recovery phenomenon displayed by solar cells sensitized with a ruthenium complex-based dye N719, which manifests with the increase over the time (from several minutes up to some days) of the short circuit current density J sc and the open circuit voltage V oc , during cell illumination. Under dark conditions the current decreases over time after the application of forward bias voltages. We investigate the effects of temperature and electrolyte composition by means of current–voltage measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, both under dark and illumination conditions. The main result is that the recovery of the performances depends on the charge transport mechanism at the TiO 2 /electrolyte interface and is caused by the increasing of the electron lifetime in the titania. This effect could be explained by intercalation of ions H + present in the electrolyte that limits the recombination of electrons from TiO 2 to the triiodide.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2016-04-01
10.1016/j.solener.2016.01.010http://www.cnr.it/prodotto/i/380743