Nanocrystalline titania-based dye-sensitized solar cells

该项目提案的总体目标是开发新一代太阳能电池技术，使太阳能成为具有经济吸引力的可持续能源。染料敏化纳米晶钛基太阳能电池（DSSC）有望实现这一突破。然而，要使这种类型的电池成为成功的商业现实，需要在光电材料制备和电解质开发领域取得重大进展。目前的研究范围是解决这两个关键的研发问题，旨在：(1)阐述一种低温（因此低成本）的水基合成方法来定制纳米晶二氧化钛材料；(2)应用/开发新的涂层、退火和敏化工艺，用于在塑料材料上沉积/烧结二氧化钛薄膜，从而促进电池的制造；(3)无泄漏凝胶电解质的开发，克服了目前基于液体电解质的太阳能电池设计寿命短的问题。本文所提出的制造低成本新一代太阳能电池组件的技术和材料/工艺的发展，有可能导致新的先进技术出口，并在国内更多地利用太阳能，从而帮助满足我们的可持续能源需求。

The overall objective of this project proposal is the development of new generation solar cell technology withthe potential of rendering solar energy an economically attractive sustainable energy source. Dye-sensitizednanocrystalline titania-based solar cells (DSSC) hold the promise of achieving this breakthough. For this typeof cells, though, to become a successful commercial reality major advances in the area of photoelectrodematerial preparation and electrolyte development are required. It is indeed the scope of the present research toaddress these two critical R&D issues by aiming at: (1) the elaboration of a low temperature (hence low cost)aqueous-based synthesis method for tailor-made nanocrystalline titania material; (2) theapplication/development of new coating, annealing and senstization processes for the deposition/sintering oftitania films on plastic materials hence facilitating cell manufacturing;(3) and the development of aleakage-free gel electrolyte that overcomes the short lifespan of the present liquid electrolyte-based solar celldesign. Development of knowhow and materials/processes that can enable the fabrication of low-cost newgeneration solar cell modules as proposed here has the potential to lead to new exportable advance technologiesand greater use of solar energy at home hence helping meeting our sustainable energy needs.