title: Dye-sensitized solar cells based on the principles and materials of photosynthesis: mechanisms of suppression and enhancement of photocurrent and conversion efficiency.
abstract: Attempts have been made to develop dye-sensitized solar cells based on the principles and materials of photosynthesis: We first tested photosynthetic pigments, carotenoids (Cars), chlorophylls (Chls) and their derivatives, to find sensitizers showing reasonable performance (photocurrent and conversion efficiency). We then tried to introduce the principles of photosynthesis, including electron transfer and energy transfer from Car to Phe a. Also, we tried co-sensitization using the pheophorbide (Phe) a and Chl c(2) pair which further enhanced the performance of the component sensitizers as follows: J(sc) = 9.0 + 13.8 --> 14.0 mA cm(-2) and eta = 3.4 + 4.6 --> 5.4%.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1337, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Koyama
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1337, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miki
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1337, Japan.|Graduate School of Engineering, Gifu University, Yanagido, Gifu 501-1193, Japan.
authors.forename: Xiao-Feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Kobe City University of Foreign Studies, Gakuen Higashimachi, Nishi-ku, Kobe 651-2187, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagae
mesh_terms: D002338:Carotenoids / Q000737:chemistry; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D004735:Energy Transfer; D010788:Photosynthesis; D011090:Polyenes / Q000737:chemistry; D011789:Quantum Theory; D012993:Solar Energy
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D011090:Polyenes; D002734:Chlorophyll; C064041:chlorophyll c; D002338:Carotenoids; C032623:pheophorbide a