Issue 17, 2013

Characterization and control of the electronic properties of a NiO based dye sensitized photocathode

Abstract

One compartment tandem DSSCs are based on two photoactive electrodes which are mediated by a redox electrolyte. Electron accumulation in the photoanode (n-type DSSC) alongside hole accumulation in the photocathode (p-type DSSC) should generate high photovoltage using different parts of the solar spectrum. While impressive efficiencies are reported for n-type DSSCs, the performance of the p-type analogue is very low due to insufficient understanding and a lack of materials. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of the p-type DSSC reveals that hole transport within the NiO mesoporous photocathode is the performance limiting factor. Modification of the NiO electrode with molecular dipoles significantly increases the cell photovoltage but has no significant effect on the photocurrent of the p-DSSC. Consequently, the development of better hole conducting materials in conjunction with surface dipole modification can lead to high photovoltage, high photocurrent p-DSSCs and thus to efficient tandem DSSCs.

Graphical abstract: Characterization and control of the electronic properties of a NiO based dye sensitized photocathode

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
18 Jan 2013
Accepted
01 Mar 2013
First published
21 Mar 2013

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2013,15, 6339-6343

Characterization and control of the electronic properties of a NiO based dye sensitized photocathode

I. Hod, Z. Tachan, M. Shalom and A. Zaban, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2013, 15, 6339 DOI: 10.1039/C3CP50242B

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