Bis(1,1-bis(2-pyridyl)ethane)copper(i/II) as an efficient redox couple for liquid dye-sensitized solar cells

• A new redox couple, [Cu(bpye)2]+/2+, has been synthesized, and applied in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Overall efficiencies of 9.0% at 1 sun and 9.9% at 0.5 sun were obtained, which are considerably higher than those obtained for cells containing the reference redox couple, [Co(bpy)3]2+/3+. These results represent a record for copper-based complex redox systems in liquid DSSCs. Fast dye regeneration, sluggish recombination loss processes, faster electron self-exchange reactions and suitable redox potentials are the main reasons for the observed increase in efficiency. In particular, the main disadvantage of cobalt complex-based redox couples, charge-transport problems, appears to be resolved by a change to copper complex redox couples. The results make copper complex-based redox couples very promising for further development of highly efficient DSSCs.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Materialkemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Materials Chemistry (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Cobalt compounds

Copper

Efficiency

Redox reactions

Solar cells

Cobalt complexes

Copper complexes

Dye regeneration

Electron self-exchange

Overall efficiency

Recombination loss

Redox potentials

Transport problems

Dye-sensitized solar cells

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)