Photovoltaic fibers

• US 20050211294A1
• Filed: 03/22/2005
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Merck Patent GmbH (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konarka Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Montello, Alan, Li, Lian, Wormser, Paul, Montello, Edmund, Gaudiana, Russell, Eckert, Robert, Chittibabu, Kethinni
• Granted Patent: US 7,622,667 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/263
• CPC Class Codes: D02G 3/441 Yarns or threads with antistatic, conductive or radiation-shielding properties electroconductive, anti-static or radiation-shielding filaments D01F1/09, D01F1/106; anti-static fabrics D03D15/533; conducting, insulating or anti-static layers for floor coverings D06N7/0042
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/2031 comprising titanium oxide, e.g. TiO2 H01G9/2036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/2059 comprising an organic dye as the active light absorbing material, e.g. adsorbed on an electrode or dissolved in solution
• 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: H01G 9/2095 comprising a flexible sustrate
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/344 comprising ruthenium
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/636 comprising heteroaromatic hydrocarbons as substituents on the nitrogen atom
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/542 Dye sensitized solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/29 Coated or structually defined flake, particle, cell, strand, strand portion, rod, filament, macroscopic fiber or mass thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2922 Nonlinear [e.g., crimped, coiled, etc.]

Abstract

Photovoltaic materials and methods of photovoltaic cell fabrication provide a photovoltaic cell in the form of a fiber. These fibers may be formed into a flexible fabric or textile.

Claims

1-60. -60. (canceled)

61. A photovoltaic material comprising:

a fiber core having an outer surface;

a light-transmissive electrical conductor; and

a photoconversion material disposed between the outer surface of the fiber core and the light-transmissive electrical conductor.

62. The photovoltaic material of claim 61, wherein the fiber core has a glass transition temperature of less than about 300°

C.

63. The photovoltaic material of claim 61, wherein the fiber core has a glass transition temperature ranging from about 25°

C. to about 150°

C.

64. The photovoltaic material of claim 61, wherein the fiber core comprises a flexible polymeric material.

65. The photovoltaic material of claim 61, wherein the fiber core comprises a polyethylene terephthalate.

66. The photovoltaic material of claim 61, wherein the fiber core comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of flax, cotton, wool, silk, nylon, and combinations thereof.

67. The photovoltaic material of claim 61, wherein the fiber core is substantially electrically insulative.

68. The photovoltaic material of claim 67, further comprising an inner electrical conductor disposed on the outer surface of the fiber core.

69. The photovoltaic material of claim 61, wherein the fiber core is substantially electrically conductive.

70. The photovoltaic material of claim 69, wherein the fiber core comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metals, metal oxides, metal alloys, conductive polymers, filled polymers, and combinations thereof.

71. The photovoltaic material of claim 61, wherein the photoconversion material comprises a photosensitized nanomatrix material.

72. The photovoltaic material of claim 71, wherein the photosensitized nanomatrix material comprises nanoparticles.

73. The photovoltaic material of claim 71, wherein the photosensitized nanomatrix material comprises particles with an average size in the range of about 2 nm to about 100 nm.

74. The photovoltaic material of claim 71, wherein the photosensitized nanomatrix material comprises particles with an average size in the range of about 10 nm to about 40 nm.

75. The photovoltaic material of claim 71, wherein the photosensitized nanomatrix material comprises one or more types of interconnected metal oxide nanoparticles.

76. The photovoltaic material of claim 75, wherein:

the metal oxide has the formula M_xO_y;

M is selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, W, Nb, La, Ta, Tb, Sn, and Zn; and

x and y are integers greater than 0.

77. The photovoltaic material of claim 76, wherein the metal oxide comprises TiO₂.

78. The photovoltaic material of claim 75 wherein the metal oxide nanoparticles are interconnected by sintering.

79. The photovoltaic material of claim 75, wherein the metal oxide nanoparticles are interconnected by a polymeric linking agent.

80. The photovoltaic material of claim 79, wherein:

the polymeric linking agent has the formula —

[O-M(OR)_i—

]_m—

;

M is selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, W, Nb, La, Ta, Tb, Sn, and Zn;

R is selected from the group of chemical moieties consisting of acetate, alkyl, alkene, alkyne, aromatic, acyl, and hydrogen;

i is an integer greater than 0; and

m is an integer greater than 1.

81. The photovoltaic material of claim 80, wherein the polymeric linking agent comprises poly(n-butyl titanate).

82. The photovoltaic material of claim 71, wherein the photosensitized nanomatrix material comprises a photosensitizing agent.

83. The photovoltaic material of claim 82, wherein the photosensitizing agent comprises a dye.

84. The photovoltaic material of claim 82, wherein the photosensitizing agent comprises an organic molecule selected from the group consisting of xanthines, cyanines, merocyanines, phthalocyanines, and pyrroles.

85. The photovoltaic material of claim 71, further comprising a catalytic media disposed between the outer surface of the fiber core and the light-transmissive electrical conductor.

86. The photovoltaic material of claim 85, wherein the catalytic media comprises platinum.

87. The photovoltaic material of claim 61, further comprising a charge carrier material.

88. The photovoltaic material of claim 87, wherein the charge carrier material comprises an electrolyte.

89. The photovoltaic material of claim 87, wherein the charge carrier material comprises a redox system.

90. The photovoltaic material of claim 61, wherein the photoconversion material comprises a heterojunction composite material.

91. The photovoltaic material of claim 61, wherein the photoconversion material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of fillerenes, carbon nanotubes, and combinations thereof.

92. The photovoltaic material of claim 91, wherein the photoconversion material comprises fullerenes.

93. The photovoltaic material of claim 91, wherein the photoconversion material comprises a conjugated polymer.

94. The photovoltaic material of claim 93, wherein the conjugated polymer comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of polythiophenes, polyquinolines, polyphenylene vinylenes, and combinations thereof.

95. The photovoltaic material of claim 61, wherein the photoconversion material comprises a conjugated polymer.

96. The photovoltaic material of claim 95, wherein the conjugated polymer comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of polythiophenes, polyquinolines, polyphenylene vinylenes, and combinations thereof.

97. The photovoltaic material of claim 95, wherein the photoconversion material further comprises one or more types of interconnected metal oxide nanoparticles.

98. An article of manufacture comprising the photovoltaic material of claim 61.

99. A flexible fabric comprising the photovoltaic material of claim 61.