Scaling of the flexible dye sensitized solar cell module

Dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) has attracted tremendous attention over last two decades and is currently regarded as a promising alternative to the conventional flexible photovoltaic (PV) market. Thin, light-weight and flexible DSSC module enables deployment on curved surfaces which significantly widens the application space. The critical challenge in advancing flexible DSSC technology remains in the up-scaling of module dimensions. Herein, we report advancement achieved in developing large-scale flexible DSSC modules of the dimensions 100 mm x 100 mm with conversion efficiency of 3.27%. A facile binder-free TiO2 paste was synthesized to fabricate firm TiO2 photoanode on plastic substrate at low temperature. Cold isostatic press (CIP) technique was utilized to not only improve the quality of film but also to increase the thickness of TiO2 film. Based on binder-free TiO2 paste, flexible DSSC module with dimension of 100 mm x 100 mm was fabricated and demonstrated for mobile phone charging application under indoor light condition. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.