Solar rechargeable battery using the lithium-ion storage mechanism in high capacity MoO3 films

Abstract

Solar energy is widely recognized as a sustainable and environmentally benign power source, garnering significant interest from the research community. Currently, major efforts are being directed towards the development of integrated technologies that use photoactive nanocomposites. This innovative approach aims to efficiently harness solar energy while effectively mitigating its inherent intermittence through energy storage solutions. In this framework, the photoactive nanocomposite consists of a MoO₃ coating on TiO₂, sensitized by dye molecules. Upon illumination, the photoexcited electrons generated by the dye* are transferred through TiO₂ to the MoO₃/electrolyte interface and stored through Li⁺ intercalation. The incorporation of TiO₂ as an electron transport layer mitigates the recombination of photoinduced charge carriers at the interface, extends their lifetime, and further improves both the conversion efficiency and discharge capacity of the solar energy. The TiO₂/MoO₃/N3//I⁻/I₃⁻/Pt solar rechargeable device attains a discharge capacity of 0.0103 mA h cm⁻² in as fast as 5 min and achieves a conversion efficiency of 1.80% under 1 sun illumination.