Solar cell

• US 7,405,356 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2005
• Issued: 07/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dyenamo AB
• Original Assignee: IVF Industriforskning Och Utveckling AB
• Inventors: Pettersson, Henrik, Gruszecki, Tadeusz
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan; Patrick Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLS, MONIQUE M
• Application Number:
  US11/103,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20050177997A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• Field of Search: 136/250, 136/263, 136/255, 136/256, 136/249, 136/243, 438/63, 438/82, 257/440, 257/461, 257/432
• US Class Current: 136/263
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/2022 characterized by he counter electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/2031 comprising titanium oxide, e.g. TiO2 H01G9/2036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/2077 Sealing arrangements, e.g. to prevent the leakage of the electrolyte
• 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 29/4911 including sealing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49115 including coating or impregnating

Abstract

Method for manufacturing sealed monolithic electrochemical systems, which method comprises the following method steps:

• • application of electrolyte to a pattern of a porous structure located on a substrate, which structure constitutes a monolithic electrochemical electrode and comprises a working electrode, an insulating layer and a counterelectrode
  • application of a sealing material surrounding said porous structure to form a laminate comprising a front plane consisting of said substrate and the porous structure and a rear plane consisting of the sealing material.

Claims

1. A sealed monolithic solar cell system comprising:

a pattern of a porous structure located on a substrate,

wherein said structure constitutes at least one monolithic electrochemical cell and comprises a photo electrode, an insulating layer, and a counterelectrode, and an electrolyte applied to said pattern of the porous structure and absorbed in said porous structure for forming at least one solar cell,

wherein a photosensitive dye is disposed on the photo electrode of the porous structure,

wherein a sealing material surrounds said porous structure to form at least one sealed monolithic solar cell photoelectrochemical system comprising a front plane consisting of said substrate and the porous structure and a rear plane consisting of the sealing material, and

wherein said front plane and rear plane are heated and pressed together and sealed along an edge of the pattern of the porous structure by virtue of a plastic layer forming part of the sealing material being melted and joined together with said front plane.

3. The sealed monolithic solar cell system of claim 1, wherein said structure constitutes a plurality of electrochemical cells connected in series.

5. The sealed monolithic solar cell system of claim 1, wherein said electrolyte is applied by a printing process.

7. The sealed monolithic solar cell system of claim 1, wherein sealing is provided along an outer edge surrounding said pattern of a porous structure and an inner edge separating individual solar cells.

9. The sealed monolithic solar cell system of claim 1, wherein the porous structure in each cell is filled with electrolyte.

2. A sealed monolithic solar cell system comprising

a substrate supporting a pattern located on said substrate of a porous structure which comprises a photo electrode, an insulating layer, and a counterelectrode,

electrolyte applied to said pattern of the porous structure and absorbed in said porous structure for forming at least one solar cell, and

contacts for said photo electrode and said counterelectrode for interconnection with at least one electric circuit,

wherein a photosensitive dye is disposed on the photo electrode of the porous structure,

wherein a sealing material is located on said substrate and covers said porous structure, said sealing material comprising an adhesion ply of plastic which is applied to said substrate and porous structure and a laminate comprising at least an adhesion layer and a barrier layer in which the adhesion layer is placed over said adhesion ply and

wherein said substrate, porous structure, and sealing material are joined together to form a sealed monolithic solar cell by melting the substrate, the adhesion ply, and the adhesion layer together.

4. The sealed monolithic solar cell system of claim 2, wherein said structure constitutes a plurality of electrochemical cells connected in series.

6. The sealed monolithic solar cell system of claim 2, wherein said electrolyte is applied by a printing process.

8. The sealed monolithic solar cell system of claim 2, wherein sealing is provided along an outer edge surrounding said pattern of a porous structure and an inner edge separating individual solar cells.

10. The sealed monolithic solar cell system of claim 2, wherein the porous structure in each cell is filled with electrolyte.

11. A method for manufacturing a sealed monolithic solar cell system, which method comprises the following steps:

applying electrolyte to a pattern of a porous structure located on a substrate by a printing process, wherein the structure constitutes at least one monolithic electrochemical cell and comprises a photo electrode, an insulating layer, and a counterelectrode, said electrolyte being absorbed in said porous structure for forming at least one solar cell,

applying a sealing material surrounding said porous structure to form at least one sealed monolithic solar cell photoelectrochemical system comprising a front plane consisting of said substrate and the porous structure and a rear plane consisting of the sealing material, and

heating and pressing together said front plane and rear plane to create a seal along an edge of the pattern of the porous structure by a plastic layer forming part of the sealing material melting and joining together with said front plane.