Photovoltaic-Charged Secondary Battery System

• US 20090072780A1
• Filed: 12/21/2007
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
• Original Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
• Inventors: Kim, Yong Sang, Lee, Joong Kee, Jeon, Chan Wook, Kim, Hyung Sun, Kim, Il Doo, Cho, Byung Won, Chung, Kyung Yoon
• Granted Patent: US 8,729,382 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/101
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022466 made of transparent conductive layers, e.g. TCO, ITO layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/04 adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices testing thereof during manufacture H01L22/00; testing thereof after manufacture H02S50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/465 with solar battery as charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 14/005 Photoelectrochemical storage cells light sensitive devices H01G9/20, semiconductors sensitive to light H01L31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/541 CuInSe2 material PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

The present invention provides a photovoltaic-charged secondary battery system, in which an electrode for optical power generation and an electrode for charging and discharging generated electrical energy are integrated into a single cell structure, and the potential difference between the electrodes is systematically controlled, thus maximizing the conversion efficiency of optical energy, maximizing the utilization rate of cell energy, and extending the life span of the battery.

For this, the present invention provides a photovoltaic-charged secondary battery system including: a transparent electrode capable of transmitting light; a PN semiconductor layer formed on the transparent electrode and generating a current by incident light; and a secondary battery layer, formed on the PN semiconductor layer, in which the current generated by the PN semiconductor layer is charged.

Claims

1. A photovoltaic-charged secondary battery system comprising:

a transparent electrode capable of transmitting light;

a PN semiconductor layer formed on the transparent electrode and generating a current by incident light; and

a secondary battery layer, formed on the PN semiconductor layer, in which the current generated by the PN semiconductor layer is charged.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the PN semiconductor layer comprises a p-type semiconductor formed on the transparent electrode and an n-type semiconductor formed on the p-type semiconductor.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the secondary battery layer comprises a secondary battery anode formed on the n-type semiconductor, a polymer electrolyte layer formed on the secondary battery anode, a secondary battery cathode formed on the polymer electrolyte layer, and a current collector formed on the second battery cathode.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the n-type semiconductor and the secondary battery anode are interlocked in a three-dimensional structure.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the n-type semiconductor and the secondary battery anode are composited to form molecular nanostructures.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the PN semiconductor layer comprises an n-type semiconductor formed on the transparent electrode and a p-type semiconductor formed on the n-type semiconductor.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the secondary battery layer comprises a secondary battery cathode formed on the p-type semiconductor, a polymer electrolyte layer formed on the secondary battery cathode, a secondary battery anode formed on the polymer electrolyte layer, and a current collector formed on the second battery anode.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the p-type semiconductor and the secondary battery cathode are interlocked in a three-dimensional structure.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the p-type semiconductor and the secondary battery cathode are composited to form molecular nanostructures.

10. The system of any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the transparent electrode is formed of a material capable of forming an ohmic contact with the n-type semiconductor.

11. A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic-charged secondary battery system comprising:

(a) forming a transparent electrode on a substrate;

(b) forming a PN semiconductor layer on the transparent electrode; and

(c) forming a secondary battery layer on the PN semiconductor layer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein step (b) comprises:

(b-1) forming a p-type semiconductor on the transparent electrode; and

(b-2) forming an n-type semiconductor on the p-type semiconductor.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein step (c) comprises:

(c-1) forming a secondary battery anode on the n-type semiconductor;

(c-2) forming a polymer electrolyte layer on the secondary battery anode;

(c-3) forming a secondary battery cathode on the polymer electrolyte layer; and

(c-4) forming a current collector on the secondary battery cathode.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein step (b-2) further comprises increasing specific surface area of the n-type semiconductor using a polymer templating technique.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein step (b-2) comprises:

dispersing and drying polymer beads;

depositing a material of the n-type semiconductor; and

dissolving the polymer beads by heat treatment.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein step (b-2) further comprises increasing specific surface area of the n-type semiconductor using an electrospinning technique.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of increasing specific surface area of the n-type semiconductor using the electrospinning technique comprises:

preparing nanofibers of a material of the n-type semiconductor by the electrospinning technique; and

heat compressing the nanofibers to form twisted structures.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein step (b-2) further comprises compositing the n-type semiconductor and the secondary battery anode to form molecular nanostructures using a solution coprecipitation method.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein step (b) comprises:

(b-1) forming a n-type semiconductor on the transparent electrode; and

(b-2) forming a p-type semiconductor on the n-type semiconductor.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein step (c) comprises:

(c-1) forming a secondary battery cathode on the p-type semiconductor;

(c-2) forming a polymer electrolyte layer on the secondary battery cathode;

(c-3) forming a secondary battery anode on the polymer electrolyte layer; and

(c-4) forming a current collector on the secondary battery anode.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein step (b-2) further comprises increasing specific surface area of the p-type semiconductor using a polymer templating technique.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein step (b-2) comprises:

dispersing and drying polymer beads;

depositing a material of the p-type semiconductor; and

dissolving the polymer beads by heat treatment.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein step (b-2) further comprises increasing specific surface area of the p-type semiconductor using an electrospinning technique.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of increasing specific surface area of the p-type semiconductor using the electrospinning technique comprises:

preparing nanofibers of a material of the p-type semiconductor by the electrospinning technique; and

heat compressing the nanofibers to form twisted structures.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein step (b-2) further comprises compositing the p-type semiconductor and the secondary battery cathode to form molecular nanostructures using a solution coprecipitation method.