Photovoltaic fibers

• US 7,622,667 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2005
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Merck Patent GmbH (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konarka Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Li, Lian, Wormser, Paul, Montello, Edmund, Gaudiana, Russell, Montello, Alan, Eckert, Robert, Chittibabu, Kethinni
• Primary Examiner(s): Michener; Jennifer K
• Assistant Examiner(s): GARDNER, SHANNON M
• Application Number:
  US11/086,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20050211294A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,708 Days
• Field of Search: 126/652, 136/252, 136/263, 156/72, 250/216, 250/501.1, 148/513, 257/40
• US Class Current: 136/251
• 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. An article, comprising:

a fiber core having an outer surface;

an electrical conductor in the form of a wire;

a photoconversion material disposed between the outer surface of the fiber core and the electrical conductor;

an additional material;

comprising a charge carrier material and

a protective layer surrounding the fiber core, electrical conductor, the photoconversion material and the additional material,

wherein;

the additional material is between the photoconversion material and the electrical conductor;

the additional material is between the electrical conductor and the protective layer; and

the article is in the form of a fiber.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein the fiber core has a glass transition temperature of less than about 300°

C.

3. The article of claim 1, wherein the fiber core has a glass transition temperature ranging from about 25°

C. to about 150°

C.

4. The article of claim 1, wherein the fiber core comprises a flexible polymeric material.

5. The article of claim 1, wherein the fiber core comprises a polyethylene terephthalate.

6. The article of claim 1, wherein the fiber core comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of flax, cotton, wool, silk, nylon, and combinations thereof.

7. The article of claim 1, wherein the fiber core is substantially electrically insulative.

8. The article of claim 7, further comprising an inner electrical conductor disposed on the outer surface of the fiber core.

9. The article of claim 1, wherein the fiber core is substantially electrically conductive.

10. The article of claim 9, 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.

11. The article of claim 1, wherein the photoconversion material comprises a photosensitized nanomatrix material.

12. The article of claim 11, wherein the photosensitized nanomatrix material comprises nanoparticles.

13. The article of claim 11, wherein the photosensitized nanomatrix material comprises particles with an average size in the range of about 2 nm to about 100 nm.

14. The article of claim 11, wherein the photosensitized nanomatrix material comprises particles with an average size in the range of about 10 nm to about 40 nm.

15. The article of claim 11, wherein the photosensitized nanomatrix material comprises one or more types of interconnected metal oxide nanoparticles.

16. The article of claim 15, 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.

17. The article of claim 16, wherein the metal oxide comprises TiO₂.

18. The article of claim 15 wherein the metal oxide nanoparticles are interconnected by sintering.

19. The article of claim 15, wherein the metal oxide nanoparticles are interconnected by a polymeric linking agent.

20. The article of claim 19, 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.

21. The article of claim 20, wherein the polymeric linking agent comprises poly(n-butyl titanate).

22. The article of claim 11, wherein the photosensitized nanomatrix material comprises a photosensitizing agent.

23. The article of claim 22, wherein the photosensitizing agent comprises a dye.

24. The article of claim 22, wherein the photosensitizing agent comprises an organic molecule selected from the group consisting of xanthines, cyanines, merocyanines, phthalocyanines, and pyrroles.

25. The article of claim 11, further comprising a catalytic media disposed between the outer surface of the fiber core and the electrical conductor.

26. The article of claim 25, wherein the catalytic media comprises platinum.

27. The article of claim 1, wherein the charge carrier material comprises an electrolyte.

28. The article of claim 1, wherein the charge carrier material comprises a redox system.

29. The article of claim 1, wherein the photoconversion material comprises a heterojunction composite material.

30. The article of claim 1, wherein the photoconversion material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, and combinations thereof.

31. The article of claim 30, wherein the photoconversion material comprises fullerenes.

32. The article of claim 30, wherein the photoconversion material comprises a conjugated polymer.

33. The article of claim 32, wherein the conjugated polymer comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of polythiophenes, polyquinolines, polyphenylene vinylenes, and combinations thereof.

34. The article of claim 1, wherein the photoconversion material comprises a conjugated polymer.

35. The article of claim 34, wherein the conjugated polymer comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of polythiophenes, polyquinolines, polyphenylene vinylenes, and combinations thereof.

36. The article of claim 34, wherein the photoconversion material further comprises one or more types of interconnected metal oxide nanoparticles.

37. A flexible fabric comprising the article of claim 1.

38. The article of claim 1, further comprising one or more additional electrical conductors in the form of a wire.

39. The article of claim 38, further comprising a light transmitting electrical conductor in which the electrical conductors in the form of a wire are at least partially imbedded.

40. The article of claim 39, wherein the is charge carrier material supported by the photoconversion material.

41. The article of claim 40, wherein the charge carrier material, the photoconversion material, and the fiber core are surrounded by the light transmitting electrical conductor.

42. The article of claim 41, wherein the protective layer surrounds the light transmitting electrical conductor.

43. The article of claim 1, wherein the photoconversion material surrounds the fiber core.

44. The article of claim 43, further comprising a charge carrier material in contact with the photoconversion material and the electrical conductor.

45. The article of claim 44, further comprising a protective layer surrounding the electrical conductor, the charge carrier material, the photoconversion material, and the fiber core.

46. The article of claim 1, wherein the electrical conductor is a counter electrode.

47. An article, comprising:

a first electrode in the form of a fiber core;

a second electrode in the form of a wire;

a photoconversion material disposed between the first and second electrodes;

an additional material;

comprising a charge carrier material and

a protective layer surrounding the first electrode, the second electrode, the photoconversion material and the additional material,

wherein;

the additional material is between the photoconversion material and the second electrode;

the additional material is between the second electrode and the protective layer; and

the article is a photovoltaic cell.

48. The article of claim 47, wherein the article is in the form of a unitary fiber.

49. The article of claim 47, wherein the article is in the form of a fiber.

50. The article of claim 47, wherein the photoconversion material is coated on an outer surface of the first electrode.

51. The article of claim 50, wherein the photoconversion material is in contact with the additional material.

52. The article of claim 47, wherein the photoconversion material comprises a heterojunction composite material.

53. The article of claim 47, wherein the photoconversion material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, and combinations thereof.

54. The article of claim 47, wherein the photoconversion material comprises fullerenes.

55. The article of claim 47, wherein the photoconversion material comprises a conjugated polymer.

56. The article of claim 55, wherein the conjugated polymer comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of polythiophenes, polyquinolines, polyphenylene vinylenes, and combinations thereof.