Issue 10, 2009

Exciton diffusion controlled quantum efficiency in hybrid dye sensitized solar cells

Abstract

Well-ordered and uniform titania nanoparticle arrays were synthesized using diblock copolymers as structure directing agents. High molecular weight copolymers of polystyrene-b-polyethylene oxide and poly(methylmethacrylate)-b-polyethylene oxide were used to control the distance between titania nanoparticles in the range of 20–60 nm. Using these titania nanoparticle arrays and regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene), models for a dye sensitized photovoltaic cell were assembled, in which the interparticle spacing was systematically varied. In these simplified solar cells, the titania nanocrystals were surrounded by a continuous regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) phase. The spacing between the titania nanoparticles was chosen as to provide enough space for the hole transfer material—regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene)—to assemble as π stacks. The external quantum efficiency showed a clear dependence on the distance between titania nanoparticles and reached 12% at an excitation wavelength of 515 nm in the best case. This demonstrates that the regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) phase acts as the locus of excition generation while the dye layer prevents charge recombination at the heterointerface. Thus control of the exciton diffusion is a key issue for present solid-state dye sensitized solar cells.

Graphical abstract: Exciton diffusion controlled quantum efficiency in hybrid dye sensitized solar cells

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
16 Jul 2008
Accepted
09 Dec 2008
First published
26 Jan 2009

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2009,11, 1604-1609

Exciton diffusion controlled quantum efficiency in hybrid dye sensitized solar cells

Z. Sun, Y. Cheng, M. Lechmann, J. Li, J. Li, J. Wu, A. Grimsdale, K. Müllen, H. Butt and J. S. Gutmann, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2009, 11, 1604 DOI: 10.1039/B812217B

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