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Electrospinning of Photocatalytic Electrodes for Dye-sensitized Solar Cells
Published on: June 28, 2017
Porphyrin-sensitized solar cells.
Lu-Lin Li1, Eric Wei-Guang Diau
1Department of Applied Chemistry and Institute of Molecular Science, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan.
Chemical Society Reviews
|October 2, 2012
Summary
Scientists are developing porphyrin-sensitized solar cells (PSSC) inspired by natural photosynthesis. Recent advancements in porphyrin molecular design have significantly boosted PSSC efficiency, showing great promise for solar energy conversion.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Renewable Energy
- Photovoltaics
Background:
- Nature utilizes chlorophyll in plants for photosynthesis to convert solar energy.
- Artificial chlorophylls, known as porphyrins, are employed as light-harvesting centers in porphyrin-sensitized solar cells (PSSC).
- Early PSSC with copper chlorophyll photosensitizers achieved 2.6% efficiency in 1993, with limited progress until 2005.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the progress of porphyrin sensitizers in PSSC.
- To correlate molecular design of porphyrins with their photovoltaic performance.
- To focus on developments in PSSC from 2007-2012.
Main Methods:
- Reviewing historical development of porphyrin-sensitized solar cells (PSSC).
- Analyzing molecular design strategies for porphyrin sensitizers.
- Correlating structural modifications with photovoltaic performance data.
Main Results:
- Beta-linked zinc porphyrins showed improved performance, reaching 7.1% efficiency by 2007.
- Meso-linked zinc porphyrins with a push-pull framework achieved 11% efficiency by 2010.
- Optimized push-pull zinc porphyrins with alkoxyl chains reached a record 12.3% efficiency in 2011, with co-sensitization.
Conclusions:
- Porphyrin molecular design is crucial for enhancing PSSC efficiency.
- Structural modifications, like push-pull frameworks and enveloping chains, significantly improve performance.
- Future research can explore fused/dimeric porphyrins and co-sensitization for near-infrared absorption and improved PSSC devices.
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