Dye-sensitized solar cell with hybrid nanostructures and method for fabricating working electrodes thereof

• US 9,196,782 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2013
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Yunlin University of Science and Technology
• Original Assignee: National Yunlin University of Science and Technology
• Inventors: Lin, Jian-Yang, Hu, Chih-Kai
• Primary Examiner(s): Leong, Nathan T
• Application Number:
  US13/742,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20130130436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• 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: H01L 31/1884 Manufacture of transparent electrodes, e.g. TCO, ITO
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/542 Dye sensitized solar cells

Abstract

A dye-sensitized solar cell with hybrid nanostructures comprises a negative-polarity conductive substrate, a metal oxide layer, a positive-polarity conductive substrate and an electrolyte. The metal oxide layer has a plurality of nanoparticles and a plurality of nanotubes. The metal oxide layer and the electrolyte are arranged between the negative-polarity conductive substrate and the positive-polarity conductive substrate. The nanoparticles increase contact area with dye and thus enhance power generation efficiency. The nanotubes increase carrier mobility and thus effectively transfer electricity to electrodes. The solar cell integrates the advantages of nanoparticles and nanotubes and offsets the disadvantages thereof to effectively enhance the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating working electrodes of a dye-sensitized solar cell, comprising steps:

growing a plurality of nanotubes from a metal substrate with an anodizing method;

breaking off the nanotubes via vibration, and mixing the nanotubes with nanoparticles to form a metal oxide mixture; and

spreading the metal oxide mixture on a conductive substrate.

2. The method for fabricating working electrodes of a dye-sensitized solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the metal oxide mixture is spread on the conductive substrate with a spin-coating method.

3. The method for fabricating working electrodes of a dye-sensitized solar cell according to claim 1 further comprising a step of soaking the conductive substrate in a dye sensitizer.

4. The method for fabricating working electrodes of a dye-sensitized solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the conductive substrate coated with the metal oxide mixture functions as a negative-polarity conductive substrate, and further comprising a step of integrating the negative-polarity conductive substrate and a positive-polarity conductive substrate to form a solar cell.