VASIREDDY VENKATADRI INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Current Technology : Semiconductor Solar Cells

of two doped crystals, One doped with n-type impurities. Other doped with p-type impurities. Photons of sunlight excite e- on the p-type side of the semiconductor, a process known as photo excitation. Disadvantages : Cost , silicon processing is expensive.
Consists

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC)

It

is a low cost solar cells. They belonging to the group of thin film solar cells. They are significantly less expensive than older solid-state cell designs. They can be engineered into flexible sheets.

History
The

concept of DSSC was started in 1972. The problem of instability in the organic dye became a major challenge for two decades. Later modern DSSC known as Graetzel cell, Invented by Michael Graetzel and Brian ORegan in 1991, clears the problem of instability.

Construction of DSSC
It

is composed of a porous layer of titanium dioxide Nano particles covered with a molecular dye that absorbs sunlight, like the chlorophyll in green leaves. The titanium dioxide is immersed under a electrolyte solution, above which a platinum based catalyst.

 In

the Graetzel cell design, On the top, the transparent anode (flourine doped in tin oxide SnO2:F) is deposited on the back of a (glass) plate. On the back of this conductive plate a thin layer of titanium dioxide TiO2, with highly porous structure is coated. This plate is then immersed in a mixture of a photo sensitive ruthenium polypyridine dye and a solvent

 After

soaking the film, a thin layer of the dye is left covalently bonded to the surface of TiO2 A separate plate is then made with a thin layer of iodide electrolyte spread over a conductive sheet, typically platinum metal.
These

two plates are then joined & sealed together to prevent the electrolyte from leaking

Functioning of DSSC
DSSC

separates two functions provided by silicon solar cells.

Normally

silicon acts as Source of photoelectrons. Providing the electric field to separate the charge & create a current.

 In

DSSC, semiconductor is used solely for charge transportation. The photoelectrons are provided from a separate photosensitive dye. Charge separation occurs at surfaces between the dye, semiconductor & electrolyte.

Working of DSSC
Sunlight

passes through the transparent SnO2:F,striking the dye on the surface of TiO2.

 Photon

strike the dye & excited state of the dye created, from which an electron can injected directly into the conduction band of the TiO2.

From

there it moves by diffusion to the clear anode on top.

 During

this process dye lost e- . Dye will decompose if another e- is not provided. Dye strips one from iodide in electrolyte below the TiO2 oxidizing it to triiodide.

 The

triiodide recovers its missing e- bye mechanically diffusing to the bottom of the cells, where the counter electrode re-introduces the eafter flowing through the external circuit.

Working of Solar Cells

DSSC and Silicon

Efficiency : Although

these are less efficient than a commercial silicon solar cells, they have high price/performance ratio. A typical solar cell has a efficiency of around 20%. Coming to the DSSC the efficiency is of about 1315%.

DSSC Advantages
Low

cost materials. No elaborate apparatus. Works in low light conditions. High price/performance ratio.

Disadvantages
Slightly

lower efficiencies. Bandgap slightly larger than silicon. Liquid electrolyte can leak.

Recent Developments
The

latest researches had overcome the two of the DSSC's major issues, "new molecules" have been created for the electrolyte, resulting in a liquid or gel that is transparent and non-corrosive, which can increase the photovoltage and improve the cell's output and stability. At the cathode, platinum was replaced by cobalt sulfide, which is far less expensive, more efficient, more stable and easier to produce.

Tata Steel and Dyesol produce worlds largest dye

sensitised photovoltaic module
The

module is over 3 metres in length and approximately 1 square metre in area using continuous printing and coating processes, for scaling up the production of steel strips onto which a dye sensitised photovoltaic coating has been printed. Developing the ability to print the PV coating directly onto steel roof cladding would enable the modules to be produced in large volumes cost effectively and integrated into building envelopes.

Future Scope
A higher

effective surface area DSSC cells were made by wrapping the cells around a quartz optical fiber. These cells are six times more efficient than a zinc oxide cell with the same surface area. A sun-tracking system would not be necessary for such cells, and would work on cloudy days when light is diffuse. These devices only collect light at the tips, but future fiber cells could be made to absorb light along the entire length of the fiber, which would require a coating that is conductive as well as transparent.

Future Technology

Butterfly

wings have properties similar to the solar

cells.
These

Butterflies have scales on their wings which act as a tiny solar collectors, which can be use for yielding better efficient solar cell with the help of DSSC.

 The

butterflies get their color from the crystal nanostructures called Gyroids, which are threedimensional curving structures that selectively scatter light. A team of researchers (UAM) have developed a technique to replicate biological structures, such as butterfly wings, on a nano scale.

This figure shows the different patterns that can be observed on a typical butterfly

 This

discovery of butterfly wings also led scientists of china & japan to design a more efficient patterned solar cell. Using the natural butterfly wings as a mold or template, copies of the solar collectors were made and transferred those light-harvesting structure to Graetzel cells
Fabrication

process of these method is simpler and faster than other methods,& could be used to manufacture other commercially valuable devices.

In one of the researches,

Quasi-honeycomb like structure (QHS), shallow concavities structure (SCS), and cross-ribbing structure (CRS) were synthesized onto a fluorine-doped tinoxide-coated glass substrate using butterfly wings as biotemplates separately.

The new butterfly inspired solar cells could start a revolution in making those energy converters affordable to almost anyone and the energy cheaper than ever