Enhanced solar light harvesting and charge transport in dye-sensitized solar cells
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Oxford
Department Name: Oxford Physics
Abstract
Dye-sensitized solar cells are moderately efficient with verified solar-to-electrical power conversion efficiencies of over 12% reported. However, even in the state-of-the-art systems only a fraction of the incident sun light is absorbed, implying substantial scope for improvement. Here we develop both state-of-the-art liquid electrolyte based DSCs and contemporary solid-state hybrid DSCs with the target being to considerably enhance the light capture and adsorption in these devices and also significantly improve the charge transport characteristics. Routes to both improve the photonic structure of the solar cells, create improved semiconducting oxide electrodes for enhanced charge transport and collection and develop and optimise new sensitizers for these systems shall be undertaken.
People |
ORCID iD |
Henry Snaith (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Sivaram V
(2014)
Observation of Annealing-Induced Doping in TiO 2 Mesoporous Single Crystals for Use in Solid State Dye Sensitized Solar Cells
in The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
Planells M
(2014)
Oligothiophene interlayer effect on photocurrent generation for hybrid TiO(2)/P3HT solar cells.
in ACS applied materials & interfaces
Huang D
(2009)
Optical description of solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells. II. Device optical modeling with implications for improving efficiency
in Journal of Applied Physics
Weisspfennig C
(2013)
Optimizing the Energy Offset between Dye and Hole-Transporting Material in Solid-State Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
in The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
Leijtens T
(2013)
Overcoming ultraviolet light instability of sensitized TiO2 with meso-superstructured organometal tri-halide perovskite solar cells.
in Nature communications
Pearson A
(2016)
Oxygen Degradation in Mesoporous Al 2 O 3 /CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3- x Cl x Perovskite Solar Cells: Kinetics and Mechanisms
in Advanced Energy Materials
Grancini G
(2013)
Panchromatic "Dye-Doped" Polymer Solar Cells: From Femtosecond Energy Relays to Enhanced Photo-Response.
in The journal of physical chemistry letters
Cannavale A
(2015)
Perovskite photovoltachromic cells for building integration
in Energy & Environmental Science
Snaith H
(2013)
Perovskites: The Emergence of a New Era for Low-Cost, High-Efficiency Solar Cells
in The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
DeQuilettes DW
(2016)
Photo-induced halide redistribution in organic-inorganic perovskite films.
in Nature communications
Pazos-Outón LM
(2016)
Photon recycling in lead iodide perovskite solar cells.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Qiu W
(2016)
Pinhole-free perovskite films for efficient solar modules
in Energy & Environmental Science
Cheng C
(2014)
Polystyrene templated porous titania wells for quantum dot heterojunction solar cells.
in ACS applied materials & interfaces
Docampo P
(2012)
Pore Filling of Spiro-OMeTAD in Solid-State Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Determined Via Optical Reflectometry
in Advanced Functional Materials
Abate A
(2013)
Protic ionic liquids as p-dopant for organic hole transporting materials and their application in high efficiency hybrid solar cells.
in Journal of the American Chemical Society
Tvingstedt K
(2014)
Radiative efficiency of lead iodide based perovskite solar cells.
in Scientific reports
Stranks S
(2014)
Recombination Kinetics in Organic-Inorganic Perovskites: Excitons, Free Charge, and Subgap States
in Physical Review Applied
Hörantner M
(2016)
Shunt-Blocking Layers for Semitransparent Perovskite Solar Cells
in Advanced Materials Interfaces
Snaith HJ
(2010)
SnO2-based dye-sensitized hybrid solar cells exhibiting near unity absorbed photon-to-electron conversion efficiency.
in Nano letters
Docampo P
(2014)
Solution Deposition-Conversion for Planar Heterojunction Mixed Halide Perovskite Solar Cells
in Advanced Energy Materials
Filip MR
(2014)
Steric engineering of metal-halide perovskites with tunable optical band gaps.
in Nature communications
Quarti C
(2016)
Structural and optical properties of methylammonium lead iodide across the tetragonal to cubic phase transition: implications for perovskite solar cells
in Energy & Environmental Science
Saliba M
(2016)
Structured Organic-Inorganic Perovskite toward a Distributed Feedback Laser.
in Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
Brown M
(2011)
Surface Energy Relay Between Cosensitized Molecules in Solid-State Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
in The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
Description | Discovered organic-inorganic metal halide perovskites could work exceptionally well in photovolatics. |
Exploitation Route | Triggered a massive research activity in perovskite solar cells worldwide. This is both at research institutions and industry. the direct outputs of this project have been transferred to Oxford PV and enabled them to rise to the forefront of PV development. Assuming successful delivery to a product, this technology has the potential to transform the PV industry, and subsequently the power industry. |
Sectors | Energy,Environment |
Description | Through the collaboration from this Japanese/UK award the original know how on processing perovskite materials was transferred from japan to UK. The potential transformative impact of perovskites was not realised by the Japanese collaborators, but through work in Oxford a stream of discoveries enabled the realisation of efficient perovskite solar cells which has lead to the growth of Oxford PV ltd to become a world force in emerging PV. |
First Year Of Impact | 2011 |
Sector | Chemicals,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Electronics,Energy,Environment,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
Impact Types | Societal,Economic |
Description | Oxford PV |
Organisation | Oxford Photovoltaics |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | We have made cells and materials and supplied them to Oxford PV for characterisation and/or further material deposition. |
Collaborator Contribution | Oxford PV have supplied some Silicon PV cells upon which to coat the perovskite cells for the all perovskite tandem cells. They have also deposited ITO conducting oxide upon our cells to complete our devices. In addition they have allowed access to other characterisation facilities including optical microscope and x-ray diffraction analysis. |
Impact | One of the main outcomes is that Oxford PV has raised in the region of £30M external investment, with the technology based on technology originally conceived in Oxford University. The company has benefited from continuing fundamental advancements of the technology, driven from our university lab. we are now working closely together on this project and will collaboratively deliver record efficiency solar cells. |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Various Radio Interviews |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Radio Interviews for BBC world service and news reports |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017 |
URL | http://www.bbc.co.uk/search?q=henry+snaith |