Porphyrin dye-sensitised solar cells utilising a solid-state electrolyte.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Renewable Energy

Background:

• Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are a promising photovoltaic technology.
• Solid-state electrolytes offer advantages over liquid electrolytes in DSSCs, including improved stability and safety.
• The iodide/triiodide (I-/I3-) redox couple is a common and effective electrolyte system for DSSCs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize a novel porphyrin dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC).
• To investigate the performance of a DSSC utilizing a solid-state electrolyte.
• To evaluate the efficiency of the I-/I3- redox couple within a solid-state DSSC architecture.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a porphyrin dye-sensitized solar cell.
• Incorporation of a solid-state electrolyte containing the iodide/triiodide (I-/I3-) redox couple.
• Performance testing of the solar cell under varying light intensities (moderate and full sun).

Main Results:

• The fabricated porphyrin dye-sensitized solar cell demonstrated a power conversion efficiency of 5.3% under moderate light intensity.
• The solar cell achieved a power conversion efficiency of 4.8% under full sun conditions.
• The solid-state electrolyte with the I-/I3- redox couple proved effective in the DSSC.

Conclusions:

• Porphyrin dye-sensitized solar cells utilizing solid-state electrolytes are a viable option for solar energy conversion.
• The I-/I3- redox couple is suitable for solid-state DSSC applications.
• Further optimization could enhance the efficiency of these solid-state DSSCs.