Enhancing Light Harvesting in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells through Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticle-Mediated Diffuse Scattering Back Reflectors
Enhancing Light Harvesting in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells through Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticle-Mediated Diffuse Scattering Back Reflectors
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DOI：
10.3390/electronicmat4030010
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发表时间：
2023-08
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
Jeffrie Fina;Navdeep Kaur;Chen-Yu Chang;Cheng-Yu Lai;D. Radu
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文献类型：
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作者：
Jeffrie Fina;Navdeep Kaur;Chen-Yu Chang;Cheng-Yu Lai;D. Radu
染料敏化太阳能电池（DSSC）因其低成本制造和环境条件下的高效率而在太阳能光伏领域具有独特的前景。然而，为了提高其商业可行性，必须采用有效且低成本的方法来增强其光收集能力，从而提高光伏（PV）性能。提高入射光的吸收是最大限度提高太阳能电池效率同时克服材料限制的关键策略。本文采用介孔二氧化硅纳米颗粒（MSN）作为透明对电极背面的反射层。通过棒涂将化学合成的 MSN 应用于 DSSC，作为与卷对卷制造兼容的简便制造步骤。 MSN 将通过 DSSC 传输的未使用的入射光漫散射回光敏层，从而增加 N719 染料分子对光的吸收。添加 MSN 后，功率转换效率 (PCE) 提高了 20%，从标准电池的 5.57% 提高到 6.68%。性能的提高归因于光子吸收的增加，这导致产生更多数量的载流子，从而增加 DSSC 的电流密度。这些结果得到电化学阻抗谱 (EIS) 的证实，显示电荷传输动力学得到改善。使用MSN作为反射器被证明是提高薄膜太阳能电池性能的有效实用方法。由于二氧化硅的丰富性和生物相容性，MSN 是一种有吸引力的材料，可以满足商业上可行的集成光伏的低成本和无毒要求。
Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) hold unique promise in solar photovoltaics owing to their low-cost fabrication and high efficiency in ambient conditions. However, to improve their commercial viability, effective, and low-cost methods must be employed to enhance their light harvesting capabilities, and hence photovoltaic (PV) performance. Improving the absorption of incoming light is a critical strategy for maximizing solar cell efficiency while overcoming material limitations. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) were employed herein as a reflective layer on the back of transparent counter electrodes. Chemically synthesized MSNs were applied to DSSCs via bar coating as a facile fabrication step compatible with roll-to-roll manufacturing. The MSNs diffusely scatter the unused incident light transmitted through the DSSCs back into the photoactive layers, increasing the absorption of light by N719 dye molecules. This resulted in a 20% increase in power conversion efficiency (PCE), from 5.57% in a standard cell to 6.68% with the addition of MSNs. The improved performance is attributed to an increase in photon absorption which led to the generation of a higher number of charge carriers, thus increasing the current density in DSSCs. These results were corroborated with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), which showed improved charge transport kinetics. The use of MSNs as reflectors proved to be an effective practical method for enhancing the performance of thin film solar cells. Due to silica’s abundance and biocompatibility, MSNs are an attractive material for meeting the low-cost and non-toxic requirements for commercially viable integrated PVs.