DYE-SENSITIZED SOLAR CELL USING CONDUCTIVE FIBER ELECTRODE

• US 20090126784A1
• Filed: 06/26/2008
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: KIM, Jongdae, JUN, Yongseok, KANG, Mangu, LEE, Seungyup, PAK, Hunkyun, YUN, Hogyeong, PARK, Jong Hyeok
• Granted Patent: US 8,299,352 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/256
• 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 9/2086 Photoelectrochemical cells in the form of a fiber
• 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

Abstract

Provided is a dye-sensitized solar cell including a flexible electrode. The dye-sensitized solar cell includes: first and second electrodes facing each other, and an electrolyte layer interposed between the first and second electrodes, wherein the first electrode comprises a structure formed of conductive fibers, a nano-particle semiconductor oxide layer formed on a surface of the structure of the conductive fibers, and dye molecules adsorbed in the nano-particle semiconductor oxide layer.

Claims

1. A dye-sensitized solar cell comprising:

first and second electrodes facing each other, and an electrolyte layer interposed between the first and second electrodes,

wherein the first electrode comprises a structure formed of conductive fibers, a nano-particle semiconductor oxide layer formed on a surface of the structure of the conductive fiber, and dye molecules adsorbed in the nano-particle semiconductor oxide layer.

2. The dye-sensitized solar cell of claim 1, wherein the conductive fibers have a thickness of several micrometers to several millimeters.

3. The dye-sensitized solar cell of claim 1, wherein the conductive fibers have light transmittivity and electrical conductivity.

4. The dye-sensitized solar cell of claim 1, wherein the conductive fibers include a conductive glass fiber.

5. The dye-sensitized solar cell of claim 4, wherein the conductive glass fiber contains tin (Sn).

6. The dye-sensitized solar cell of claim 5, wherein a surface of the conductive glass fiber containing Sn is coated with a fluorinated tin oxide (FTO) or indium tin oxide (ITO).

7. The dye-sensitized solar cell of claim 1, wherein the conductive fiber comprises carbon fiber.

8. The dye-sensitized solar cell of claim 1, wherein the conductive fiber comprises a conductive polymer fiber.

9. The dye-sensitized solar cell of claim 1, wherein the structure formed of conductive fibers is a stack structure of conductive fibers.

10. The dye-sensitized solar cell of claim 1, wherein the structure formed of conductive fibers is a textile structure knitted with conductive fibers.

11. The dye-sensitized solar cell of claim 1, wherein the second electrode is bendable.

12. The dye-sensitized solar cell of claim 11, wherein the second electrode comprises a conductive substrate coated with a platinum layer.

13. The dye-sensitized solar cell of claim 11, wherein the second electrode has a carbon content of 95-100%.

14. The dye-sensitized solar cell of claim 11, wherein the second electrode comprises a polymer material coated or deposited with a conductive material.

15. The dye-sensitized solar cell of claim 14, wherein the polymer material is a material selected from the group consisting of polyethyleneterephthalate, polycarbonate, polyimide, polyethylene naphthalate, polyethersulfone, polyethylene, and polypropylene.

16. The dye-sensitized solar cell of claim 1, further comprising an insulating thin layer or a semiconductor thin film in the electrolyte layer between the first and second electrodes.

17. The dye-sensitized solar cell of claim 1, wherein the electrolyte is liquid at ambient room temperature.

18. The dye-sensitized solar cell of claim 1, wherein the electrolyte is solid or in a gel state at a ambient room temperature.

19. The dye-sensitized solar cell of claim 1, wherein the nano-particle semiconductor oxide layer comprises titanium oxide (TiO₂), zinc oxide (ZnO), or niobe pentoxide (Nb₂O₅).

20. The dye-sensitized solar cell of claim 1, wherein the dye molecule comprises a ruthenium (Ru)complex compound.

21. The dye-sensitized solar cell of claim 1, wherein the dye molecule comprises thiophene, phthalocyanine, porpyrine, indolin, or quinoline, or an organic material including a derivative of one of these.

22. The dye-sensitized solar cell of claim 1, further comprising a transparent layer formed on the structure formed of conductive fibers.