Efficient dye-sensitized solar cell sub-modules

Two topics with dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) development were introduced The one was development of an efficient glass-substrate 10 cm-by-10 cm DSC sub-modules with current-collecting Ag grids using N719 dye (eta(ac) = 8 0%,J(sc) = 16 8 mA/cm(2), V-oc = 0 71 V, ff = 0 67) Accelerated long-term stability tests were conducted using JIS C-8938 environmental and endurance test methods for amorphous-Si solar cell modules. which included a dry heat cycle test (-40 degrees C to 90 degrees C, 200 cycles), a heat-humidity test (-40 degrees C to 90 degrees C with 85% humidity, 10 cycles) and a light-soaking test (255 W/m(2) (300-700 nm), 500 h) The results suggested DSC using methoxypropronitrile (MPN) electrolyte solvent has a promising future to commercialization of DSC The other was development of a new preparation method for highly efficient plastic-substrate DSC This method consisted of important basic technologies such as press without heat treatment. light-confining effect by light scattering TiO2 large particles, binder-free water paste of TiO2 and UV-O-3 treatment of TiO2 photoelectrode The plastic-substrate DSC prepared by this new method showed a very high efficiency. 8 1% (0 29 cm(2)) under simulated solar light (100 mW/cm(2), AM1 5) Further. an efficient plastic-substrate 10 cm-by-10 cm DSC sub-module with cui rent-collecting Ti grids using N719 dye (eta(ac) = 4 5%, J(sc) = 10 9 mA/cm(2), V-oc = 0 72 V, ff = 0 57) was successfully prepared (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved