Electrolyte tuning in dye-sensitized solar cells with N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) iron(II) sensitizers

• Mariia Karpacheva,
• Catherine E. Housecroft and
• Edwin C. Constable

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 3069–3078, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.285

• achieved giving η in the range of 0.47 to 0.57% which represents 7.8 to 9.3% relative to an N719 reference DSC set at 100%. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy has been used to understand the role of the MBI additive in the electrolytes. Keywords: dye-sensitized solar cell; electrolyte; nanoparticles

Cr(VI) remediation from aqueous environment through modified-TiO₂-mediated photocatalytic reduction

• Rashmi Acharya,
• Brundabana Naik and
• Kulamani Parida

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 1448–1470, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.137

Synthesis and characterization of two new TiO₂-containing benzothiazole-based imine composites for organic device applications

• Anna Różycka,
• Agnieszka Iwan,
• Krzysztof Artur Bogdanowicz,
• Michal Filapek,
• Natalia Górska,
• Damian Pociecha,
• Marek Malinowski,
• Patryk Fryń,
• Agnieszka Hreniak,
• Jakub Rysz,
• Paweł Dąbczyński and
• Monika Marzec

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 721–739, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.67

• like in a dye-sensitized solar cell model system [49]. The influence of TiO2 on the molecular behavior and structure of both SP1 and SP2 benzothiazole derivatives has been also studied by FT-MIR spectroscopy, and the results are presented in Figure 11. The IR spectra of the SP1:TiO2 and SP2:TiO2

Three-in-one approach towards efficient organic dye-sensitized solar cells: aggregation suppression, panchromatic absorption and resonance energy transfer

• Jayita Patwari,
• Samim Sardar,
• Bo Liu,
• Peter Lemmens and
• Samir Kumar Pal

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 1705–1713, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.171

• , Mendelssohnstraße 3, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany Laboratory for Emerging Nanometrology, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany 10.3762/bjnano.8.171 Abstract In the present study, protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) and squarine (SQ2) have been used in a co-sensitized dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) to apply their high

Scanning probe microscopy studies on the adsorption of selected molecular dyes on titania

• Jakub S. Prauzner-Bechcicki,
• Lukasz Zajac,
• Piotr Olszowski,
• Res Jöhr,
• Antoine Hinaut,
• Thilo Glatzel,
• Bartosz Such,
• Ernst Meyer and
• Marek Szymonski

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 1642–1653, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.156

• the titania–sensitizer interface. In the following paper, we review the recent scanning probe microscopic research of a certain group of molecular assemblies on rutile titania surfaces as it pertains to dye-sensitized solar cell applications. We focus on experiments on adsorption of three types of

• ) utilizing titania as a semiconducting electrode has consistently increased [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]. In the following paper, we review some of the recent research of molecular assemblies on rutile titania surfaces as it pertains to dye-sensitized solar cell applications. Review Prototypical systems

Applications of three-dimensional carbon nanotube networks

• Manuela Scarselli,
• Paola Castrucci,
• Francesco De Nicola,
• Ilaria Cacciotti,
• Francesca Nanni,
• Emanuela Gatto,
• Mariano Venanzi and
• Maurizio De Crescenzi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 792–798, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.82

• -sensitized solar cell (DSC) [26]. The CNT-sponge was directly transferred onto a conductive substrate to make a counter electrode (CE), exploiting its good electrical and mechanical properties. A photoelectric conversion efficiency of about 6.2% was achieved for the DSC with a CNT-sponge CE, compared to 7.6

• , indicating that the sulfur content is too small. Therefore, we can assume that almost no sulfur was trapped in the network, in accordance to what was reported for similar CNT-networks [25]. A sponge-like multiwall-CNT framework was recently used as the catalytic layer of a counter electrode for a dye

Reduced electron recombination of dye-sensitized solar cells based on TiO₂ spheres consisting of ultrathin nanosheets with [001] facet exposed

• Hongxia Wang,
• Meinan Liu,
• Cheng Yan and
• John Bell

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2012, 3, 378–387, doi:10.3762/bjnano.3.44

• °C for 15 min in an electric oven to form a thin Pt layer on the FTO substrate. A dye-sensitized solar cell was assembled by sealing the dye-coated TiO2 electrode with the platinum-coated FTO counter electrode by using a thermal plastic (Surlyn 1705) at 130 °C. The electrolyte composed of 0.6 M 1

• paste B containing 25 wt % spheres (b) with (curve B and D) and without (curve A and C) TiCl4 treatment. Equivalent circuit (a) and the Nyquist plot (b) and Bode plot (c) of the impedance spectrum of a dye-sensitized solar cell. Comparison of the effective electron lifetime, τn, (a) and effective

Highly efficient ZnO/Au Schottky barrier dye-sensitized solar cells: Role of gold nanoparticles on the charge-transfer process

• Tanujjal Bora,
• Htet H. Kyaw,
• Soumik Sarkar,
• Samir K. Pal and
• Joydeep Dutta

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 681–690, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.73

• the ZnO/Au interface. For large area DSSC (1 cm2), ~130% enhancement in PCE (from 0.50% to 1.16%) was achieved after incorporation of the Au nanoparticles into the ZnO nanorods. Keywords: dye-sensitized solar cell; gold nanoparticle; picosecond spectroscopy; Schottky barrier; zinc oxide nanorod

• ; Introduction The dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC), also known as the Grätzel’s cell, has been one of the most extensively studied types of solar cell in the last two decades due to its potential widespread application attributed to lower manufacturing costs [1][2][3]. Currently one of the major issues

• to remove any loosely attached gold nanoparticles from the ZnO nanorods. Subsequently the photoelectrodes were annealed at 450 °C for 30 min to ensure a good contact of the Au nanoparticles with the ZnO nanorods. Fabrication of dye-sensitized solar cell Bare ZnO-nanorod and ZnO/Au-nanocomposite

Schottky junction/ohmic contact behavior of a nanoporous TiO₂ thin film photoanode in contact with redox electrolyte solutions

• Masao Kaneko,
• Hirohito Ueno and
• Junichi Nemoto

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 127–134, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.15

• junction, which generates a photocurrent. A crystalline n-TiO2 photoanode to decompose water by UV light attracted a great attention [3]; organic compounds have also been similarly decomposed [4][5]. Later, a nanoporous TiO2 thin film was applied to a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) [6] in which the

• mesoporous TiO2 thin film can function as a good electron-conductive material under irradiation conditions when a strong electron donor is present in the liquid. It should be noted that in a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) [6], a mesoporous TiO2 thin film also functions as an electron conductor under