Graphene-based large area dye-sensitized solar cell modules

Abstract

We demonstrate spray coating of graphene ink as a viable method for large-area fabrication of graphene-based dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) modules. A graphene-based ink produced by liquid phase exfoliation of graphite is spray coated onto a transparent conductive oxide substrate to realize a large area (>90 cm²) semi-transparent (transmittance 44%) counter-electrode (CE) replacing platinum, the standard CE material. The graphene-based CE is successfully integrated in a large-area (43.2 cm² active area) DSSC module achieving a power conversion efficiency of 3.5%. The approach demonstrated here paves the way to all-printed, flexible, and transparent graphene-based large-area and cost-effective photovoltaic devices on arbitrary substrates.