Rapid double-dye-layer coating for dye-sensitized solar cells using a new method

Abstract

Intensive research with the specific aim of developing inexpensive renewable energy sources is currently being undertaken. In dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) production, the most time-consuming process is coating the dye on working electrodes: absorption of ruthenium-based dyes [e.g., N719=bis(trtrabutylammonium)-cis-di(thiocyanato)-N,N'-bis(4-carboxylato-4'-carboxylic acid-2,2'-bipyridine) ruthenium(II)] on a photoanode takes a long time. We report a simple dye-coating method using a mixed solvent of ethylene glycol (EG) and glycerol (Gly). According to our experiments, dye-coating time can be reduced to 5min from several hours. Maximum performance was obtained with an EG/Gly ratio of 1:1. This mixture of solvents gave a performance of 9.1%. Furthermore, the viscous solvent system could control coating depth; positioning dye coatings to a specific depth was rapid and facile. A cell containing two different dyes (N719+black dye) had an efficiency of 9.4%.