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Improving performance of copper(I)-based dye sensitized solar cells through I3–/I– electrolyte manipulation

Fürer, S. O. and Luu, L. Y. N. and Bozic-Weber, B. and Constable, E. C. and Housecroft, C. E.. (2016) Improving performance of copper(I)-based dye sensitized solar cells through I3–/I– electrolyte manipulation. Dyes and Pigments, 132. pp. 72-78.

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Abstract

The performances of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) containing a heteroleptic bis(diimine)copper(I) dye and an I 3 /I liquid electrolyte have been investigated as a function of the electrolyte composition. Starting from a standard electrolyte with LiI (0.1 M), I2 (0.05 M), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium (BMII) ionic liquid (0.6 M), 1-methylimidazole additive (0.5 M) in 3-methoxypropionitrile (MPN), a series of ten electrolytes was initially screened; the solvent, additives, concentration of I2, and sources (LiI and/or BMII) and concentrations of I were varied. The highest short-circuit current densities (JSC 1⁄4 7.85 and 7.60 mA cm 2) and photoconversion efficiencies (h 1⁄4 2.64 and 2.70% relative to 6.56 and 6.11% for two N719 references) were observed for DSSCs with an electrolyte comprising I2 (0.03 M), BMII (0.6 M), 4- tert-butylpyridine (TBP, 0.4 M) and guanidinium thiocyanate (GNCS, 0.1 M) in MPN solvent; no LiI was added. This composition was further optimized by varying the amounts of TBP and GNCS. A low con- centration of I2 (0.015 M) is optimal. The presence or absence of GNCS has little effect on overall DSSC performance, but increasing the concentration of TBP is detrimental to DSSC performance, and an absence of TBP is beneficial. Open-circuit voltage decay (OCVD) measurements confirm that the addition of GNCS and/or TBP reduces recombination rates at the TiO2-dye interface. The best DSC parameters obtained for the copper(I)-based dye were JSC 1⁄4 7.80 mA cm 2, open-circuit voltage (VOC) 1⁄4 501 mV and h 1⁄4 2.76% (relative to 6.72% for N719).
Faculties and Departments:05 Faculty of Science > Departement Chemie > Former Organization Units Chemistry > Anorganische Chemie (Constable)
05 Faculty of Science > Departement Chemie > Former Organization Units Chemistry > Anorganische Chemie (Housecroft)
UniBasel Contributors:Housecroft, Catherine Elizabeth and Constable, Edwin Charles and Bozic Weber, Biljana and Fürer, Sebastian and Luu, Laura Yan Ni
Item Type:Article, refereed
Article Subtype:Research Article
Publisher:Elsevier
ISSN:0143-7208
Note:Publication type according to Uni Basel Research Database: Journal article
Language:English
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Last Modified:08 Feb 2020 14:19
Deposited On:21 Jun 2016 14:06

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