Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Using Nitrogen Doped Carbon-Nano-Tube and Method for Manufacturing the Same

• US 20110214723A1
• Filed: 07/23/2010
• Published: 09/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
• Original Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
• Inventors: Lee, Jae-Joon, Nath, Narayan Chandra Deb, Sarker, Subrata, Lee, Ga-In, Kang, Jeung-Ku, Shin, Weon-Ho
• Application Number:
  US12/842,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20110214723A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/255
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/2031 comprising titanium oxide, e.g. TiO2 H01G9/2036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1884 Manufacture of transparent electrodes, e.g. TCO, ITO
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/821 comprising carbon nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/30 Doping active layers, e.g. electron transporting layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/221 Carbon nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/542 Dye sensitized solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/749 Modified with dissimilar atoms or molecules substituted for carbon atoms of the cnt, e.g. impurity doping or compositional substitution
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/948 Energy storage/generating using nanostructure, e.g. fuel cell, battery

Abstract

Provided are a dye-sensitized solar cell and a method for manufacturing the dye-sensitized solar cell using a carbon nanotube (CN_x) doped with nitrogen, wherein the dye-sensitized solar cell using the carbon nanotube (CN_x) doped with nitrogen has an improved conductivity and open circuit voltage as compared to those using the carbon nanotube (CNT) and also a high connectivity between a transparent electrode and an oxide semiconductor

Claims

1. A dye-sensitized solar cell, comprising:

an upper transparent substrate;

a transparent electrode formed on an inner surface of the upper transparent substrate;

a porous cathode electrode formed on the transparent electrode and comprising an oxide semiconductor and a dye adsorbed on a surface of the oxide semiconductor;

a counter electrode formed on a lower transparent substrate as an anode electrode part corresponding to the cathode electrode; and

an electrolyte filled between the cathode electrode and the counter electrode,

wherein the dye-sensitized solar cell further comprises a nitrogen doped carbon nanotube (CN_x) layer between the transparent electrode and the porous cathode electrode.

4. The dye-sensitized solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the oxide semiconductor absorbing the dye is TiO₂.

2. A dye-sensitized solar cell, comprising:

an upper transparent substrate;

a transparent electrode formed on an inner surface of the upper transparent substrate;

a porous cathode electrode formed on the transparent electrode and comprising an oxide semiconductor and a dye adsorbed on a surface of the oxide semiconductor;

a counter electrode formed on a lower transparent substrate as an anode electrode part corresponding to the cathode electrode; and

an electrolyte filled between the cathode electrode and the counter electrode,

wherein the porous cathode electrode comprises a nitrogen doped carbon nanotube (CN_x).

3. The dye-sensitized solar cell according to claim 2, wherein the nitrogen doped carbon nanotube (CN_x) is formed at a predetermined distance from the transparent electrode.

5. A method for manufacturing a dye-sensitized solar cell including an upper transparent substrate, a transparent electrode formed on an inner surface of the upper transparent substrate, a porous cathode electrode formed on the transparent electrode and including an oxide semiconductor and a dye adsorbed on a surface of the oxide semiconductor, a counter electrode formed on a lower transparent substrate as an anode electrode part corresponding to the cathode electrode, and an electrolyte filled between the cathode electrode and the counter electrode, the method comprising:

(a) preparing the nitrogen doped carbon nanotube (CN_x);

(b) forming the transparent electrode on the inner surface of the upper transparent substrate;

(c) forming the nitrogen doped carbon nanotube (CN_x) layer on the transparent electrode; and

(d) applying an oxide paste on the nitrogen doped carbon nanotube (CN_x) layer to form the porous cathode electrode including the oxide semiconductor.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the step of (a) comprises preparing the nitrogen doped carbon nanotube (CN_x) by a PECVD method using Fe catalyst under an atmosphere of CH₄, H₂ and N₂ gas.

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein the step of (d) comprises forming the porous cathode electrode comprising the oxide semiconductor by laminating the oxide paste through a spin coating method.

10. The method according to claim 5, wherein the oxide semiconductor is TiO₂.

6. A method for manufacturing a dye-sensitized solar cell including an upper transparent substrate, a transparent electrode formed on an inner surface of the transparent substrate, a porous cathode electrode formed on the transparent electrode and including an oxide semiconductor and a dye adsorbed on a surface of the oxide semiconductor, a counter electrode formed on a lower transparent substrate as an anode electrode part corresponding to the cathode electrode, and an electrolyte filled between the cathode electrode and the counter electrode, the method comprising:

(a) preparing a nitrogen doped carbon nanotube (CN_x);

(b) mixing an oxide paste with the nitrogen doped carbon nanotube (CN_x);

(c) forming the transparent electrode on the inner surface of the upper transparent substrate; and

(d) applying an oxide paste comprising the nitrogen doped carbon nanotube (CN_x) on the transparent electrode to form the porous cathode electrode comprising the oxide semiconductor.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of (d) further comprises:

applying an oxide paste without the nitrogen doped carbon nanotube (CN_x) on the transparent electrode; and

applying the oxide paste with the nitrogen doped carbon nanotube (CN_x) on the oxide paste without the nitrogen doped carbon nanotube (CN_x) to form the porous cathode electrode comprising the oxide semiconductor.

11. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of (a) comprises preparing the nitrogen doped carbon nanotube (CN_x) by a PECVD method using Fe catalyst under an atmosphere of CH₄, H₂ and N₂ gas.

12. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of (d) comprises forming the porous cathode electrode comprising the oxide semiconductor by laminating the oxide paste through a spin coating method.

13. The method according to claim 6, wherein the oxide semiconductor is TiO₂.