Dye-sensitized solar cells based on hydroquinone/benzoquinone as bio-inspired redox couple with different counter electrodes.
In the present study, tetramethylammonium hydroquinone (HQ)/benzoquinone (BQ) were developed for use as a redox couple, with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) being proposed for use as counter electrode (CE) catalysts in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Both metal-complex N719 and metal-free organic dye CM309 were employed to fabricate devices. For the devices sensitized by N719, when using PEDOT and MWNT CEs, power conversion efficiencies (PCE) of 5.2 and 4.9% were obtained, respectively, which were much higher than that of the device using the traditional Pt CE (4.7%) when HQ/BQ electrolyte was employed. However, with the HQ/BQ redox shuttle, the efficiency of the devices sensitized by N719 is much lower than that of the devices when the traditional I(-)/I3(-) based electrolyte and Pt CE were employed (7.9%). While for the CM309 sensitized solar cells, when the HQ/BQ redox shuttle was employed, PEDOT and MWNT performed much better than Pt, the DSSC using the PEDOT CE showed an efficiency of 6.2%, which was close to that of the DSSC using the traditional I(-)/I3(-) electrolyte and Pt CE (6.3%).
State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, DUT-KTH Joint Education and Research Centre on Molecular Devices, Dalian University of Technology (DUT), 2 Linggong Rd., 116024 Dalian, China. yangxc@dlut.edu.cn.
Ming
M
Cheng
Xichuan
X
Yang
Cheng
C
Chen
Jianghua
J
Zhao
Fuguo
F
Zhang
Licheng
L
Sun
D016227:Benzoquinones / Q000737:chemistry*; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004566:Electrodes; D006873:Hydroquinones / Q000737:chemistry*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010316:Particle Size; D012993:Solar Energy; D013499:Surface Properties
D016227:Benzoquinones; D004396:Coloring Agents; D006873:Hydroquinones; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C004532:quinone; C031927:hydroquinone