Journal article

High-efficiency dye-sensitized solar cells with ferrocene-based electrolytes

T Daeneke, TH Kwon, AB Holmes, NW Duffy, U Bach, L Spiccia

Nature Chemistry | NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP | Published : 2011

Abstract

Dye-sensitized solar cells based on iodide/triiodide (I-/I 3-) electrolytes are viable low-cost alternatives to conventional silicon solar cells. However, as well as providing record efficiencies of up to 12.0%, the use of I-/I3- in such solar cells also brings about certain limitations that stem from its corrosive nature and complex two-electron redox chemistry. Alternative redox mediators have been investigated, but these generally fall well short of matching the performance of conventional I-/I3- electrolytes. Here, we report energy conversion efficiencies of 7.5% (simulated sunlight, AM1.5, 1,000 W m-2) for dye-sensitized solar cells combining the archetypal ferrocene/ferrocenium (Fc/Fc+..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Grants

Funding Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge financial support from the Australian Research Council through the Australian Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science (ACES), and the Discovery, Australian Research Fellowship and LIEF programs, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (Australia), the Victorian State Government Department of Primary Industry (SERD Program, Victorian Organic Solar Cells Consortium) and Monash University (supporting U. B. with a Monash Research Fellowship). Particular thanks go to JGC Catalysts and Chemicals Ltd, Kitakyushu-Shi (Japan), for providing samples of TiO<INF>2</INF> screen printing paste.