High efficient dye-sensitized solar cells by elucidating diffusion mechanism in the electrolyte

Masatoshi Yanagida

Principal Researcher , Environment and Energy Materials Division, Photovoltaic Materials Unit, National Institute for Materials Science

http://www.nims.go.jp/units/u_photovoltaic/index_e.html

Abstract

A highly efficient and reliable dye-sensitized solar cell using an ionic liquid as the electrolyte will be demonstrated by elucidating structures and properties of the iodine species in the electrolyte responsible for the charge transportation and the redox reaction in the cells. A novel optical interferometry is developed to measure the dynamic distributions of iodide ions close to the electrode, and synchrotron radiation is employed to probe carrier transportation through the interface of the TiO2 film and the electrolyte solution, and microscopic structures of iodine species in the electrolyte based on the diffraction and scattering experiments.