As a feasible option for photovoltaic technology to meet the growing energy demand, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have attracted much attention due to their low cost, ease of fabrication and good performance. At the same time, polymer electrolytes represent the ultimate in terms of desirable properties of energy conversion devices, as they can offer an all-solid-state construction, a suitable interface with device electrodes, a wide variety of shapes and sizes, light-weight, low costs and safety. In this work, nanoscale microfibrillated cellulose (NMFC) is introduced into a light-cured polymeric matrix, thus resulting in a green, cheap and highly efficient quasi-solid electrolyte for bio-based DSSCs. The effect of NMFC on the photovoltaic parameters and performance of the resulting photoelectrochemical cells is thoroughly investigated, and a noticeable increase in both the photocurrent (due to optical phenomena) and the photovoltage (through a shielding effect on the recombination reactions) is demonstrated. Upon thorough optimization of the amount of NMFC introduced in the polymeric network, sunlight conversion efficiencies as high as 7.03% and 8.25% are achieved at simulated light intensities of 1.0 and 0.4 sun, respectively. Furthermore and outstandingly, NMFC addition also positively affects the long-term stability of the device, which is able to retain > 95% of the initial efficiency after 500 h of extreme aging conditions.

Nanoscale microfibrillated cellulose for green polymer electrolytes for DSSCs / Bella, Federico; Chiappone, Annalisa; Nair, JIJEESH RAVI; Meligrana, Giuseppina; Bongiovanni, Roberta Maria; Gerbaldi, Claudio. - ELETTRONICO. - (2014), pp. 533-533. (Intervento presentato al convegno XXV Congresso Nazionale della Società Chimica Italiana - SCI 2014 tenutosi a Rende (Italy) nel 07-12 Settembre 2014).

Nanoscale microfibrillated cellulose for green polymer electrolytes for DSSCs

BELLA, FEDERICO;CHIAPPONE, ANNALISA;NAIR, JIJEESH RAVI;MELIGRANA, Giuseppina;BONGIOVANNI, Roberta Maria;GERBALDI, CLAUDIO
2014

Abstract

As a feasible option for photovoltaic technology to meet the growing energy demand, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have attracted much attention due to their low cost, ease of fabrication and good performance. At the same time, polymer electrolytes represent the ultimate in terms of desirable properties of energy conversion devices, as they can offer an all-solid-state construction, a suitable interface with device electrodes, a wide variety of shapes and sizes, light-weight, low costs and safety. In this work, nanoscale microfibrillated cellulose (NMFC) is introduced into a light-cured polymeric matrix, thus resulting in a green, cheap and highly efficient quasi-solid electrolyte for bio-based DSSCs. The effect of NMFC on the photovoltaic parameters and performance of the resulting photoelectrochemical cells is thoroughly investigated, and a noticeable increase in both the photocurrent (due to optical phenomena) and the photovoltage (through a shielding effect on the recombination reactions) is demonstrated. Upon thorough optimization of the amount of NMFC introduced in the polymeric network, sunlight conversion efficiencies as high as 7.03% and 8.25% are achieved at simulated light intensities of 1.0 and 0.4 sun, respectively. Furthermore and outstandingly, NMFC addition also positively affects the long-term stability of the device, which is able to retain > 95% of the initial efficiency after 500 h of extreme aging conditions.
2014
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11583/2562948
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