Abstract
The effects of polymer chemistry on interfacial properties and overall performance in polymer-electrolyte dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are investigated theoretically and experimentally. Specifically, polymer electrolytes based on poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA), poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA), and poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP) are considered. These polymers are grown directly within the mesoporous TiO2 photoanode via a single step polymerization and coating using initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) to maximize pore filling. The experimental study coupled with a 1-D first-principles macroscopic DSSC mathematical model provides insight into the cell interfacial processes and overall performance. Parameter estimation using the macroscopic model indicates that the pendant groups on the polymers strongly affect the conduction band position of TiO2, the back electron transfer at the photoanode-electrolyte interface, and the exchange current density at the platinum cathode. The estimated difference between the TiO2 conduction band edge and the redox potential of the electrolyte are 0.87, 0.99 and 1.06 eV for P4VP, PGMA, and PHEMA, respectively. Estimated recombination rate constants for P4VP and PGMA are respectively 54% and 19% lower than that of PHEMA. This study indicates that by varying polymer electrolyte chemistry, DSSC characteristics including open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current density, and fill factor can be tuned.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 156-164 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Journal of Power Sources |
| Volume | 274 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 15 2015 |
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Keywords
- Polymer electrolyte Dye sensitized solar cell Macroscopic modeling First principles Initiated chemical vapor deposition
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
- Energy Engineering and Power Technology
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Cite this
Effects of polymer chemistry on polymer-electrolyte dye sensitized solar cell performance : A theoretical and experimental investigation. / Smolin, Yuriy Y.; Nejati, Siamak; Bavarian, Mona; Lee, Daeyeon; Lau, Kenneth K.S.; Soroush, Masoud.
In: Journal of Power Sources, Vol. 274, 15.01.2015, p. 156-164.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of polymer chemistry on polymer-electrolyte dye sensitized solar cell performance
T2 - A theoretical and experimental investigation
AU - Smolin, Yuriy Y.
AU - Nejati, Siamak
AU - Bavarian, Mona
AU - Lee, Daeyeon
AU - Lau, Kenneth K.S.
AU - Soroush, Masoud
PY - 2015/1/15
Y1 - 2015/1/15
N2 - The effects of polymer chemistry on interfacial properties and overall performance in polymer-electrolyte dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are investigated theoretically and experimentally. Specifically, polymer electrolytes based on poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA), poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA), and poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP) are considered. These polymers are grown directly within the mesoporous TiO2 photoanode via a single step polymerization and coating using initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) to maximize pore filling. The experimental study coupled with a 1-D first-principles macroscopic DSSC mathematical model provides insight into the cell interfacial processes and overall performance. Parameter estimation using the macroscopic model indicates that the pendant groups on the polymers strongly affect the conduction band position of TiO2, the back electron transfer at the photoanode-electrolyte interface, and the exchange current density at the platinum cathode. The estimated difference between the TiO2 conduction band edge and the redox potential of the electrolyte are 0.87, 0.99 and 1.06 eV for P4VP, PGMA, and PHEMA, respectively. Estimated recombination rate constants for P4VP and PGMA are respectively 54% and 19% lower than that of PHEMA. This study indicates that by varying polymer electrolyte chemistry, DSSC characteristics including open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current density, and fill factor can be tuned.
AB - The effects of polymer chemistry on interfacial properties and overall performance in polymer-electrolyte dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are investigated theoretically and experimentally. Specifically, polymer electrolytes based on poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA), poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA), and poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP) are considered. These polymers are grown directly within the mesoporous TiO2 photoanode via a single step polymerization and coating using initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) to maximize pore filling. The experimental study coupled with a 1-D first-principles macroscopic DSSC mathematical model provides insight into the cell interfacial processes and overall performance. Parameter estimation using the macroscopic model indicates that the pendant groups on the polymers strongly affect the conduction band position of TiO2, the back electron transfer at the photoanode-electrolyte interface, and the exchange current density at the platinum cathode. The estimated difference between the TiO2 conduction band edge and the redox potential of the electrolyte are 0.87, 0.99 and 1.06 eV for P4VP, PGMA, and PHEMA, respectively. Estimated recombination rate constants for P4VP and PGMA are respectively 54% and 19% lower than that of PHEMA. This study indicates that by varying polymer electrolyte chemistry, DSSC characteristics including open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current density, and fill factor can be tuned.
KW - Polymer electrolyte Dye sensitized solar cell Macroscopic modeling First principles Initiated chemical vapor deposition
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84908340409&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84908340409&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2014.10.028
DO - 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2014.10.028
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84908340409
VL - 274
SP - 156
EP - 164
JO - Journal of Power Sources
JF - Journal of Power Sources
SN - 0378-7753
ER -