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Solar Cells Made Easy

New technique cuts fabrication time, improves performance for turning sunlight into electricity

A new technique allows even distribution of the dye-coated particles in a solar cell. This technique eliminates several processing steps and improves the cell’s efficiency.

To make solar power mainstream, the devices that collect sunlight and pump out electricity need to be a bit more effective. Take, for example, the hardy, dye-sensitized solar cell. Slightly improving the efficiency of this already cheap solar cell could expand its use in different markets, pushing out fossil fuel power supplies. To improve the efficiency of these solar cells, scientists are tackling the thin film of dye-coated particles that turn sunlight into hard-working electrons. The film suffers because, instead of spreading out evenly to capture more light, the particles clump together. In a recent study, scientists coated the particles with a chemical that allows even mixing and drying on a surface. This new approach also increases the efficiency of the cell, allowing it to capture more light and produce more electricity. This research is a major step in creating efficient, affordable films for solar cells. The work was done by the Argonne-Northwestern Solar Energy Research Center, led by Northwestern University.

Reference:

Jeong NC, OK Farha, and JT Hupp. 2011. “A Convenient Route to High Area, Nanoparticulate TiO₂ Photoelectrodes Suitable for High-Efficiency Energy Conversion in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.” Langmuir 27(5), 1996-1999. DOI: 10.1021/la104297s.