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Fabrication of Monolithic Dye Sensitized Solar Cell Based on Composite Cathode with Platinum Nanoparticles

Ghane Sasansarayi, Zahra | 2013

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  1. Type of Document: M.Sc. Thesis
  2. Language: Farsi
  3. Document No: 44124 (04)
  4. University: Sharif University of Technology
  5. Department: Physics
  6. Advisor(s): Taghavinia, Nima
  7. Abstract:
  8. Increasing of human demanding for energy and limiting of fossil fuels and bio-logical problems, it seems necessary to access new and clean source of ener-gy. For instance, one of these sources of energy is sun. If we can impart from this infinite energy source so health and natural life can be pictured for human. Nanostructure dye sensitized solar cells in compare with other photovoltaic cells are more economical and practical as a result of lower material cost and simpler manufacturing process. In general, a typical dye sensitized solar cell is a sandwich structure based on two transparent conducting oxide (FTO) glasses. The FTO glass substrates are expensive and account for most of DSC-fabrication cost. However, the typical design seems to be difficult for practical solar cells of large surface area, since the distance between photo- and counter electrode soon becomes too large (>20 μm) due to the limited flatness of the separate substrates, causing additional ohmic losses and even diffusion limitation of the photocurrent in the electrolyte layer. To overcome these problems, single sided DSCs named as monolithic DSCs are proposed. In this structure, all layers have been deposited on a single FTO glass substrate.The aim of this thesis is the fabrication of monolithic dye sensitized solar cells. To fabricate monolithic electrodes, the FTO layer should divided into two parts by etching and for this end we use chemical etching.The most activity of this project is focused on preparing and optimizing carbon pastes as a counter electrode in monolithic DSCs. The conductivity, catalytic activity and adhesion to the substrate of fabricated carbon pastes are investi-gated.The results show that the carbon paste with 25% solid, 66% terpineol and 9% ethyl cellulose is the best selection. The Solid contents include three ingredients 60% graphite, 15% carbon black and 25% P25. The efficiency of monolithic DSC that fabricated with the proposed carbon paste was 5.48%.The catalytic activity and charge transfer rate of counter electrode are enhanced remarkably by depositing Pt nanoparticles on the carbon electrode. For this goal, platinized carbon pastes of various Pt loading are fabricated. The EIS analyze shows that the carbon paste with 0.75% Pt loading has the lowest charge transfer resistance. As a result, high energy conversion efficiency up to 7.15% is obtained for monolithic DSSC based on this platinized carbon electrode
  9. Keywords:
  10. Charge Transfer Resistance ; Monolithic Dye Sensitized Solar Cells ; Transparent Conducting Oxide Glass ; Platinized Carbon Paste

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