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Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells. Bill Goldschmidt. Dye! You Grätzel!. Also known as Grätzel solar cells Less expensive to produce than silicon solar cells Similar process as silicon and other metalloid solar cells Thin-film cells. History.

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Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

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  1. Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Bill Goldschmidt

  2. Dye! You Grätzel! • Also known as Grätzel solar cells • Less expensive to produce than silicon solar cells • Similar process as silicon and other metalloid solar cells • Thin-film cells

  3. History • 1839: A. E. Becquerel first discovered photoelectric effect • 1883: Charles Fritts built the first solar cell • 1905: Albert Einstein developed Special Theory of Relativity • 1946: Russell Ohl patents modern solar cell

  4. More History • 1954: Bell Laboratories discovers silicon’s beneficial photoelectric properties • 1991: Michael Grätzel develops dye-sensitized solar cells • 2008: US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory sets new efficiency record of 40.8%

  5. How it Works

  6. Science • Photosensitive dye absorbs the photons from the sun’s rays • The photons displace electrons into the TiO • These electrons travel to the anode and are replaced by the electrolyte • The electrolyte absorbs the returning electron • Repeat 2

  7. Materials Used • TiO - Titanium dioxide; creates a mesh for the dye; transports displaced electrons • SnO :F - Fluorine-doped tin oxide; anode • Photosensitive ruthenium-polypyridine dye • I - Iodide electrolyte; provides replacement electrons for the photosensitive dye • Platinum - Catalytic Conductor 2 2 -

  8. How it Works

  9. Michael Grätzel • Nationality: Swiss • Professor at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne • Inventor of Dye-sensitized solar cells

  10. Benefits • Cost • Violet/UV • Manufacturability • Flexibility • Low light

  11. Challenges • Efficiency • Electrolyte • Red/IR usability • Market trends

  12. Implications • Environmental • Cleaner source of energy • Renewable source of energy • Lower impact in production that silicon solar cells • Economic • Cheaper fuel source • Not dependent on natural resource

  13. Implications • Manufacturability • Easier to manufacture than silicon cells • More pliable applications • Sustainability • Renewable energy • Non caustic materials

  14. Five Years • Market has accepted Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells • Slight increase in efficiency • Solid electrolyte efficiency raised • Decreased cost

  15. Twenty Years • Gel-like electrolyte • Widespread use • Higher efficiency • Lower cost

  16. Sitation • “Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell,” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dye-sensitized_solar_cell • “Solar Cells,” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_cell#Thin-film_processing • “How Solar Cells Work,” http://www.howstuffworks.com/solar-cell.htm • “Timeline of Solar Cells,” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_solar_cells • “Michael Grätzel,” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Gr%C3%A4tzel

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