Exploring novel dye concepts in dye sensitized solar cells

Abstract

Aquesta tesi es basa en un tipus de dispositius fotovoltaics, les cel•les solars sensitivitzades amb colorant. Des de fa un parell de dècades, l’estudi d’aquests dispositius ha anat en augment i actualment ja s’han publicat resultats amb més d’un 13% d’eficiència. S’estudien els diferents components d’aquest dispositiuis, la seva funció i totes les reaccions i fenòmens físics que hi tenen lloc. S’explica com es prepara aquest tipus de dispositius i com es caracteritzen. Finalment, hi ha un recull de 6 articles publicats i entre ells es diferencien pel tipus de colorant utilitzat: porfirines, ftalocianines, colorants orgànics que tenen una estructura anomenada dadora-acceptora amb un pont tipus π entremig i complexes de ruteni.

This thesis is based on a type of photovoltaic devices; the dye sensitized solar cells (DSCs). In the last two decades, the study of these devices has been increased and currently results with over 13% efficiency have been published. The first chapter discusses the various components of this kind of device, its function and its components. It is also explained how these cells work and all the reactions and physical phenomena that take place. The second chapter explains how to prepare these devices and how are characterized. And the third, fourth, fifth and sixth chapters are based on diverse articles published and the difference between them is the kind of dye. In chapter 3, the dyes used are porphyrins, chapter 4 is based on phthalocyanines, chapter 5 is centred on organic dyes that have a structure called donor-acceptor with a π-bridge type in between and chapter 6 studies two ruthenium complexes.