Fibril solar cell and method of manufacture

• US 20050194035A1
• Filed: 01/27/2005
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Inventors: Kim, Jong-Min, Jin, Yong-Wan
• Granted Patent: US 7,638,706 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/252
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/20 Light-sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/2031 comprising titanium oxide, e.g. TiO2 H01G9/2036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/2068 Panels or arrays of photoelectrochemical cells, e.g. photovoltaic modules based on photoelectrochemical cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/2086 Photoelectrochemical cells in the form of a fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/151 the wide bandgap semiconductor comprising titanium oxide, e.g. TiO2
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/53 in the form of fibres or tubes, e.g. photovoltaic fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/221 Carbon nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/344 comprising ruthenium
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/615 Polycyclic condensed aromatic hydrocarbons, e.g. anthracene
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/542 Dye sensitized solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A fibril solar cell includes: a fiber-shaped inner core having a porous fiber composed of first carbon nanotubes and a cathode material, in which pores of the porous fiber are filled with second carbon nanotubes, titanium dioxide, a photosensitive dye, and an electron transfer electrolyte; a photoconductive layer formed on a surface of the fiber-shaped inner core and composed of at least one photoconductive polymer; a transparent electrode layer formed on a surface of the photoconductive layer; and a transparent protective layer formed on a surface of the transparent electrode layer and composed of at least one transparent polymer. The fibril solar cell can be mass-produced inexpensively using a polymer. Also, the fibril solar cell has a high efficiency and can be converted into various shapes. The fibril solar cell can be attached to clothing, and be used as a portable power source for mobile electronics.

Claims

1. A fibril solar cell comprising:

a fiber-shaped inner core including a porous fiber including first carbon nanotubes and a cathode material;

the porous fiber including pores filled with second carbon nanotubes;

titanium dioxide;

a photosensitive dye; and

an electron transfer electrolyte;

a photoconductive layer arranged on a surface of the fiber-shaped inner core and including at least one photoconductive polymer;

a transparent electrode layer arranged on a surface of the photoconductive layer; and

a transparent protective layer arranged on a surface of the transparent electrode layer and including at least one transparent polymer.

2. The fibril solar cell of claim 1, wherein the first carbon nanotubes comprise multiple walls or a single or double metallic walls, and are contained in a concentration of 1 wt. % to 15 wt. % on the basis of a binder used for forming the porous fiber.

3. The fibril solar cell of claim 1, wherein the cathode material comprises tin oxide having a diameter of 10 nm to 50 nm, and is contained in a concentration of 1 wt. % to 5 wt. % on the basis of a binder used for forming the porous fiber.

4. The fibril solar cell of claim 1, wherein the second carbon nanotubes comprise multiple walls or a single or double metallic walls having a diameter of 10 nm to 100 nm, and are contained in a concentration of 0.1 wt. % to 1 wt. % on the basis of a solution including the second carbon nanotubes, the titanium dioxide, the photosensitive dye, and the electron transfer electrolyte.

5. The fibril solar cell of claim 1, wherein the titanium dioxide comprises porous grains having a surface area of 200 m²/g to 300 m²/g, and a grain size of 1 nm to 50 nm.

6. The fibril solar cell of claim 1, wherein the photosensitive dye comprises a ruthenium-containing complex, an osmium-containing complex, an iron complex, and a super-heavy complex containing 2 or 3 transition metals.

7. The fibril solar cell of claim 1, wherein the electron transfer electrolyte comprises an iodine/iodide solution, a bromine/bromide solution, a hydroquinone solution, and a solution of transition metal complex to transport non-coupled electrons.

8. The fibril solar cell of claim 1, wherein the photoconductive layer comprises 1 wt. % to 5 wt. % of tin oxide having a particle size of 1 nm to 50 nm on the basis of the photoconductive polymer.

9. A method of manufacturing a fibril solar cell, comprising:

forming a porous fiber from a solution including first carbon nanotubes, a cathode material, and a binder, and heat-treating the porous fiber;

impregnating the porous fiber with a solution including second carbon nanotubes, titanium dioxide, a photosensitive dye and an electron transfer electrolyte to form a fiber-shaped inner core;

coating a surface of the fiber with a photoconductive polymer, and drying and planarizing the surface of the photoconductive polymer to form a photoconductive layer;

coating a surface of the photoconductive layer with indium tin oxide to form a transparent electrode; and

coating a surface of the transparent electrode with at least one transparent polymer to form a transparent protective layer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first carbon nanotubes comprise multiple walls or a single or double metallic wall, and are contained in a concentration of 1 wt. % to 15 wt. % on the basis of a binder used for forming the porous fiber.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the cathode material is tin oxide having a diameter of 10 nm to 50 nm, and is contained in a concentration of 1 wt. % to 5 wt. % on the basis of a binder used for forming the porous fiber.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the porous fiber is formed using at least one a foaming agent selected from the group consisting of ammonium carbonate, azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN), and benzene sulfonylhydrazide.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the porous fiber is formed using a wet spinning process.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the porous fiber is heat treated at a temperature of 400°

C. to 500°

C.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the second carbon nanotubes have multiple walls or a single or double metallic wall having a diameter of 10 nm to 100 nm, and are contained in a concentration of 0.1 wt. % to 1 wt. % on the basis of a solution consisting of the second carbon nanotubes, titanium dioxide, the photosensitive dye, and the electron transfer electrolyte.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the titanium dioxide includes porous grains having a surface area of 200 m²/g to 300 m²/g, and a grain size of 1 nm to 50 nm.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the photosensitive dye includes ruthenium-containing complex, osmium-containing complex, iron complex, and super-heavy complex containing 2 or 3 transition metals.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein the photoconductive layer further includes 1 wt. % to 5 wt. % of tin oxide having a particle size of 1 nm to 50 nm on the basis of the photoconductive polymer.

19. An article of clothing including a fibril solar cell comprising:

a fiber-shaped inner core including a porous fiber including first carbon nanotubes and a cathode material;

the porous fiber including pores filled with second carbon nanotubes;

titanium dioxide;

a photosensitive dye; and

an electron transfer electrolyte;

a photoconductive layer arranged on a surface of the fiber-shaped inner core and including at least one photoconductive polymer;

a transparent electrode layer arranged on a surface of the photoconductive layer; and

a transparent protective layer arranged on a surface of the transparent electrode layer and including at least one transparent polymer.

20. A portable power supply including a fibril solar cell comprising:

a fiber-shaped inner core including a porous fiber including first carbon nanotubes and a cathode material;

the porous fiber including pores filled with second carbon nanotubes;

titanium dioxide;

a photosensitive dye; and

an electron transfer electrolyte;

a photoconductive layer arranged on a surface of the fiber-shaped inner core and including at least one photoconductive polymer;

a transparent electrode layer arranged on a surface of the photoconductive layer; and

a transparent protective layer arranged on a surface of the transparent electrode layer and including at least one transparent polymer.