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Effect of the self-assembled gel network formed from a low molecular mass organogelator on the electron kinetics in quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells

有机小分子自组装凝胶网络对准固态染料敏化太阳电池电子动力学的影响机制

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Abstract

A low molecular mass organogelator (LMOG), N,N′-1,5-pentanediylbis-dodecanamide, was applied to quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (QS-DSSCs). The crosslinked gel network was self-assemblied by the LOMG in the liquid electrolyte, and the in situ assembly process of gelator can be obtained by the polarized optical microscopy (POM). On one hand, the network hinders the diffusion of redox species and accelerates the electron recombination at the interface of the TiO2 photoanode/electrolyte. On the other hand, Li+ can interact with the amide carbonyl groups of the gelators and the adsorption of Li+ onto the TiO2 surface decreases, leading to a negative shift of the TiO2 conduction band edge, accelerated electron transport and decreased electron injection efficiency (η inj) of QS-DSSC. As a result, the incidental photon-to-electron conversion efficiency (IPCE), the short circuit photocurrent density (J sc) and the open circuit voltage (V oc) of the QS-DSSC are decreased compared with those of the liquid electrolyte based DSSC (L-DSSC), which indicates that the electron recombination plays a great role in the photovoltaic performances of DSSC. Remarkably, the QS-DSSC exhibits excellent thermal and light-soaking stabilities during accelerated aging tests for 1000 h, which is attributed to a great intrinsic stability of the gel electrolyte with a high gel to solution transition temperature (T gel = 108°C).

摘要

本文合成了N,N′-1,5-戊二基双月桂酰胺作为有机小分子凝胶剂, 并将其应用于准固态染料敏化太阳电池(QS-DSSC)的电解质材料中.通过偏光显微镜观察到凝胶剂分子在液态电解质中形成交联凝胶网络的原位自组装过程. 一方面, 凝胶网络对氧化还原电对物理扩散的阻碍效应, 加速了电解质/TiO2光阳极界面的电子复合. 另一方面, Li+与凝胶剂分子的酰胺基团发生锂键相互作用, 减少了Li+在TiO2表面的吸附, 使TiO2薄膜内的电子传输加快, 电子注入效率(η inj)降低, TiO2导带边发生负移. 测试表明, 凝胶电池的开路电压(V oc)、单色光转化效率(IPCE)和短路电流密度(J sc)均低于液态电解质制备的染料敏化太阳电池(L-DSSC), 与上述分析结果符合, 且说明电解质/TiO2光阳极界面电子复合起了主导作用. 108°C的相转变温度保证了凝胶电解质的本征稳定性, 使得准固态电池在50°C和一个太阳光照条件下连续1000 h的加速老化实验中表现出优良的光热稳定性.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Novel Thin Film Solar Cells, Institute of Applied Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China

    Lu Wang  (王露), Zhipeng Huo  (霍志鹏), Jun Zhu  (朱俊), Shuanghong Chen  (陈双宏), Xu Pan  (潘旭) & Songyuan Dai  (戴松元)

  2. University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China

    Lu Wang  (王露)

  3. Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic ChemicalMaterials, Faculty of Physics and Electronic Science, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China

    Li Tao  (桃李)

  4. Beijing Key Laboratory of Novel Thin Film Solar Cells, School of Renewable Energy, North China Electric Power University, Beijing, 102206, China

    Songyuan Dai  (戴松元)

Authors
  1. Lu Wang  (王露)
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  2. Zhipeng Huo  (霍志鹏)
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  3. Li Tao  (桃李)
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  4. Jun Zhu  (朱俊)
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  5. Shuanghong Chen  (陈双宏)
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  6. Xu Pan  (潘旭)
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  7. Songyuan Dai  (戴松元)
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Zhipeng Huo  (霍志鹏), Li Tao  (桃李) or Songyuan Dai  (戴松元).

Additional information

Lu Wang was born in 1992. She obtained her BSc degree in materials chemistry from Anhui Normal University in 2014, and she is currently aMaster candidate at the University of Science and Technology of China under the supervision of Prof. Zhipeng Huo. Her research interests mainly focus on functional electrolytes, characterization and application of organic compounds, electrochemical analysis for energy conversion devices.

Zhipeng Huo was born in 1982. He is an associate researcher of Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences. He obtained his BSc degree in chemical engineering and technology from Beijing University of Chemical Technology in 2004, and PhD degree in materials physics and chemistry from Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2009. His current research interests mainly focus on functional materials, devices and electrochemistry for energy conversion and storage devices.

Li Tao was born in 1983. She is a Lecturer of Hubei University. She obtained her PhD degree in materials physics and chemistry from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2015. Her research interests mainly focus on synthesis, characterization and application of organic compounds, and electrochemical analysis for energy conversion devices.

Songyuan Dai is a professor and Dean of the School of Renewable Energy, North China Electric Power University. He obtained his BSc degree in physics from Anhui Normal University in 1987, and MSc and PhD degrees in plasma physics from the Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1991 and 2001. His research interests mainly focus on next-generation solar cells including dye-sensitized solar cells, quantum dot solar cells, perovskite solar cells, etc.

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Effect of the self-assembled gel network formed from a low molecular mass organogelator on the electron kinetics in quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells

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Wang, L., Huo, Z., Tao, L. et al. Effect of the self-assembled gel network formed from a low molecular mass organogelator on the electron kinetics in quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells. Sci. China Mater. 59, 787–796 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40843-016-5092-x

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