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A highly efficient electric additive for enhancing photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells

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Abstract

N-cetylpyridinium iodide (N-CPI) as a new electric additive for enhancing photovoltaic performance of the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) was studied. It showed high efficiency for enhancing both the open-circuit voltage and the short-circuit current density of DSSC when the suitable amount of N-CPI as 0.02 M was added in liquid electrolyte. The energy conversion efficiency of DSSC increased from 4.429% to 6.535%, with 47.55% enhancement. Therefore, it is a highly efficient electric additive for DSSC. The intrinsic reason is owing to the special molecular structure of N-CPI, which contains two different polarity groups. As a surfactant, N-CPI could form ordered arrangement in liquid electrolyte, which affects the diffusing ability and the redox reaction of I−/I −3 , and further affects the photovoltaic performance of DSSC.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Engineering Research Center of Environment-Friendly Functional Materials, Ministry of Education; Key Laboratory of Functional Materials for Fujian Higher Education, Institute of Materials Physical Chemistry, Huaqiao University, Quanzhou, 362021, China

    Zhang Lan, JiHuai Wu, JianMing Lin & MiaoLiang Huang

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  1. Zhang Lan
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  2. JiHuai Wu
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  3. JianMing Lin
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  4. MiaoLiang Huang
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Correspondence to Zhang Lan or JiHuai Wu.

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Lan, Z., Wu, J., Lin, J. et al. A highly efficient electric additive for enhancing photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells. Sci. China Chem. 53, 1352–1357 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11426-010-3204-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11426-010-3204-z

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