View in detail of the architecture of a dye sensitised solar cell. Sandwiched between two pieces of transparent glass, the tin oxide gives electron conductivity to glass electrode. A layer of 2-15 um of nanostructured TiO2 anatase supports by self-assembling technique the dye. Solid of liquid electrolyte affords electron mobility and regeneration of dye molecules after light excitation reactions.
Zoom of picture below.
Electrodes are based on a glass layer bearing a conductive tin oxyde layer. After a colloïdal paste of 12 um thickness, containing TiO2 nanoparticles of 15-20 nm size, is deposited on. Colloïdal paste is synthesised under hydrothermale conditions at 70 atm from a mixture of water and Titanium isopropylate Ti(OiPr)4 with acid catalysis.
Before dye deposition from an ethanolic solution, electrodes are heated to 450°C for 10-20 min. To perform the light to electricity conversion we need a charge collector and a system able to regenerate the excited dye. This last role is played by the system I-/I3-. The charge carrier role is played by organic salts of dialkyl-imidazolium type or inorganic like lithium iodide.
Efficiency
measurements of photoinduced currents are made under the AM 1.5 standard (power
1000 Watts/m2).
Dye purification by column chromatography. Separation of different dyes and different isomers.