Aim of this work is to construct dye sensitized solar cells employing core shell type nanocrystalline FTO/TiO2 photoanodes. Fluorine doped tin dioxide (FTO) nanoparticles were synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. Homogeneously precipitated SnO2 nanoparticles were dispersed in aqueous solutions containing NH4F as fluorine source and heat treated at 180oC for 24 hours. X-Ray analysis revealed that particles show rutile type cassiterite structure. Particles had 50 m2/g specific surface area measured by BET. Particle size was around 15-20 nm verified by XRD, BET and SEM analysis. Electrical resistivity of the powders measured with four point probe technique was around 770 ohm.cm for an F/Sn atomic ratio of 5, which showed no further decrease upon increasing the fluorine content of solutions. Thick films were deposited by screen printing technique and SEM studies revealed that agglomeration was present in the films which decreased the visible light transmission measured by UV-Visible spectrophotometry. TiO2 shell coating was deposited by hydrolysis of ammonium hexafluorotitanate and TiCl4 aqueous solutions. Efficiency of FTO nanoparticles was enhanced upon surface treatment where best result was 4.61 % for cells treated with TiCl4. Obtained photocurrent of 22.8 mA/cm2 was considered to be very promising for the future work. Enhancement v in efficiency was mostly attributed to suppressed recombination of photoelectrons and it is concluded that improved efficiencies can be obtained after successful synthesis of FTO nanoparticles having lower resistivity values and deposition of homogeneous shell coatings.

As humanly engineered materials systems approach the atomic scale, top-down manufacturing approaches breakdown and following nature's example, bottom-up or self-assembly methods have the potential to emerge as the dominant paradigm. Synthesis of one-dimensional nanomaterials takes advantage of such self-assembly manufacturing techniques, but until now most efforts have relied on high temperature vapor phase schemes which are limited in scalability and compatibility with organic materials. The solution-phase approach is an attractive low temperature alternative to overcome these shortcomings. To this end, this thesis is a study of the rationale solution-phase synthesis of ZnO nanowires and applications in photovoltaics. The following thesis goals have been achieved: rationale synthesis of a single ZnO nanowire on a polymer substrate without seeding, design of a wafer-scale technique to control ZnO nanowire array density using layer-by-layer polymers, determination of optimal nanowire field emitter density to maximize the field enhancement factor, design of bridged nanowires across metal electrodes to order to circumvent post-synthesis manipulation steps, electrical characterization of bridged nanowires, rationale solution-phase synthesis of long ZnO nanowires on optical fibers, fabrication of ZnO nanowire dye-sensitized solar cells on optical fibers, electrical and optical characterization of solar cell devices, comparison studies of 2-D versus 3-D nanowire dye-sensitized solar cell devices, and achievement of 6-fold solar cell power conversion efficiency enhancement using a 3-D approach. The thesis results have implications in nanomanufacturing scale-up and next generation photovoltaics.

Because of its excellent and unique physical properties, ZnO nanowires have been widely used in numerous scientific fields such as sensors, solar cells, nanogenerators, etc. Although it is believed that single crystal ZnO has a much higher electron transfer rate than TiO₂, it was found that ZnO nanowire-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have lower efficiencies than TiO₂ nanoparticle-based DSSCs because the density and surface area of ZnO nanowires are usually lower than that of TiO₂ nanoparticles, limiting the cell's light absorption, and because the open-root structure of ZnO nanowires results in electron back transfer that causes charge shortage of the cell. Here, experimental studies were performed that utilize strategic manipulations of the design of the ZnO nanowire based DSSCs in efforts to address and solve its key challenges. It was shown that by incorporating various blocking layers into the design of the cell, the performance of the DSSC can be improved. Specifically, by placing a hybrid blocking layer of TiO₂-P4VP polymer between the substrate and the ZnO nanowires, the conversion efficiency of the cell was 43 times higher than that of a cell without this blocking layer due to the reduction of electron back transfer. Furthermore, in efforts to improve the surface area of the ZnO nanowire array, unique three dimensional structures of ZnO nanowires were fabricated. It was found that by significantly improving the overall density and surface area of the ZnO nanowire array through distinctive hierarchal nanowire structures, the light harvesting efficiency and electron transport were enhanced allowing the DSSC to reach 5.20%, the highest reported value for 3D ZnO NW based DSSCs. Additionally, the development of a theoretical model was explored in efforts to investigate how the geometry of ZnO nanowires affects the incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency of 1D ZnO nanowire-based N719-sensitized solar cells at the maximum absorption wavelength of 543 nm.

In this study, photoemission spectroscopy (PES) was used to investigate the electronic properties of nanocrystalline titanium dioxide (TiO2), zinc oxide (ZnO), and cadmium selenide (CdSe). Electrospray deposition technique enabled the preparation of thin films in vacuum from a dispersion prepared outside the vacuum chamber. This method also allowed the step-wise formation of interfaces and the monitoring of the evolution of the electronic structure with intermittent PES characterization. The work function of nanocrystalline TiO2 and ZnO was measured with ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (UPS) and low-intensity x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (LIXPS). Measurements on environmentally contaminated surfaces revealed an instantaneous and permanent work function decrease of 0.3-0.5 eV upon exposure to ultraviolet radiation during a UPS measurement. The work function reduction is likely to be related to the formation of a surface dipole caused by the photo-chemical hydroxylation of surface defects. This phenomenon was further investigated with regard to its influence on the electronic structure of the indium tin oxide (ITO)/TiO2 interface found in dye-sensitized solar cells. The experiments suggest that UV radiation can cause a small but significant change of the charge injection barriers at the interface. The determined band line-ups revealed electron injection barriers of ~0.3-0.5 eV, while UV radiation caused an increase of about 0.15 eV. This might have the potential to further impede electron transfer to the ITO electrode and affect the performance of solar cell device. Another type of photovoltaic cell using nanocrystalline material is a heterojunction bulk solar cell. Conversion efficiencies of such devices are currently only about 3% due to the inefficient charge separation at interfaces formed by blending organic and inorganic material. An approach to improve efficiencies in such devices is the use of covalently bonded conductive polymer/inorganic hybrid nanocrystals. In this study a prototypical model system was investigated with PES with the aim to develop a measurement protocol that allows the determination of electronic properties for such hybrid materials. The comparison of the relative core-level binding energies of the organics-functionalized CdSe nanocrystal compared to the ligand-free CdSe nanocrystal and the arylselenophosphate ligand material enabled the determination of the electronic structure at the interface. Core-level measurements support the hypothesis that the Se functionality of the organic ligand coordinates to the Cd sites on the nanopthesis surface.

Photon upconversion by sensitized triplet–triplet annihilation (UC-STTA) is a photophysical process that facilitates the conversion of two low-energy photons into a single high-energy photon. A low-energy photon is absorbed by a sensitizer molecule that produces a triplet excited state which is transferred to an emitter molecule. When two emitter triplet states encounter each other, TTA can take place to produce a singlet excited state which decays by emission of a high-energy (upconverted) photon. While traditional single-threshold dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have a maximum efficiency limit of ca. 30%, it has been predicted theoretically that implementation of UC-STTA in DSSCs could increase that efficiency to more than 40%. A possible way to implement UC-STTA into DSSCs, would be to replace the standard sensi- tized nanostructured TiO2 photoanodes by upconverting ones loaded with emitter molecules. Following TTA, the excited emitter molecule would be quenched by injection of a high-energy electron into the conduction band of the TiO2. To explore the practical aspects of this strategy for a highly efficient DSSC, in this thesis UC-STTA is studied in model systems based on nanostructured ZrO2 films. These ZrO2 films are a good proxy for the TiO2 films used in DSSCs, and allow for relatively easy optimization and study of UC-STTA by allowing measurements of the upconverted photons without the complications of electron injection into the film. Herein it is experimentally proven that UC-STTA is viable on nanostructured metal oxide films under non-coherent irradiation with intensities comparable to sunlight. Two different system architectures are studied, differing in the position of the molecular components involved in the UC-STTA mechanism. Both architectures have the emitter molecules adsorbed onto the ZrO2 surface, but the sensitizers are positioned either in solution around the nanostructure, or co-adsorbed with the emitters onto the ZrO2 surface. A set of challenges in the study and optimization of the UC-STTA process is identified for each type of system. Proposals are also given for how to further improve the understanding and UC-STTA optimization of these systems toward application in DSSCs to overcome the present solar energy conversion efficiency limit.

La première partie du projet consiste à synthétiser de nouveaux chromophores de structure D-π-[M]-π-A pour des applications en cellules solaires à colorant. La synthèse de complexes symétriques contenant deux fragments métalliques [Ru(dppe)2] sera ensuite envisagée pour obtenir des architectures de type D-π-A-π-D pouvant être testées comme matériau de type n ou p en cellules solaires organiques. Enfin, comme il a été précédemment démontré que la communication électronique peut avoir lieu à travers plusieurs centres ruthénium, la longueur du complexe pourra être augmentée par addition de plusieurs unités métallo-organiques pour conduire à des structures oligomériques aux propriétés d’absorption de l’énergie lumineuse exaltées. / The first part of the research project will consist in the synthesis and study of new chromophores based on the D-π-[M]-π-A model. At that stage, easy synthesis of symmetrical complexes including two [Ru(dppe)2] metal fragments will be envisaged to afford D-π-A-π-D architectures to be tested in n-type solar cells and p-type solar cells. Later on, as it has been demonstrated that electronic communication may occur through several Ru-based metal centres,the complexes length might be incremented by addition of multiple metal-organic units to create oligomeric structures with strong light-harvesting properties.

abstract: Alternative energy technologies must become more cost effective to achieve grid parity with fossil fuels. Dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are an innovative third generation photovoltaic technology, which is demonstrating tremendous potential to become a revolutionary technology due to recent breakthroughs in cost of fabrication. The study here focused on quality improvement measures undertaken to improve fabrication of DSSCs and enhance process efficiency and effectiveness. Several quality improvement methods were implemented to optimize the seven step individual DSSC fabrication processes. Lean Manufacturing's 5S method successfully increased efficiency in all of the processes. Six Sigma's DMAIC methodology was used to identify and eliminate each of the root causes of defects in the critical titanium dioxide deposition process. These optimizations resulted with the following significant improvements in the production process: 1. fabrication time of the DSSCs was reduced by 54 %; 2. fabrication procedures were improved to the extent that all critical defects in the process were eliminated; 3. the quantity of functioning DSSCs fabricated was increased from 17 % to 90 %. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S.Tech Technology 2012

O complexo conhecido trans-[Ru(NO)(NH3)4(py)](BF4)3 foi sintetizado e caracterizado por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência e espectroscopias de RMN de 1H, de absorção eletrônica e de infravermelho e RPE. O espectro de absorção de infravermelho do complexo apresenta o pico de estiramento de NO em 1931 cm-1 e o seu espectro de absorção eletrônica apresenta bandas em 237 nm (e = 5200 mol-1 L cm-1), 267 (e = 2300 mol-1 L cm-1), e 324 nm (e = 160 mol-1 L cm-1), concordantes com a literatura.O corante azul do Nilo (máx = 635 nm) sofre fotoquímica quando irradiado com luz de 577 nm, ao passo que os corantes rodamina-B (máx = 524 e 570 nm), fluoresceína sódica (máx = 437 nm) e tartrazina (máx = 438 nm) não. A fotólise do complexo em solução aquosa, pH ~3, com luz de 313 nm leva à liberação de NO. Soluções aquosas de trans-[Ru(NO)(NH3)4(py)](BF4)3 em pH 7,4 (tampão fosfato) na presença da forma monomérica dos corantes rodamina-B (lirr = 570 nm), fluoresceína sódica (lirr = 440 e 490 nm), tartrazina (lirr = 440 nm) e alaranjado de acridina (lirr = 440 nm) foram irradiadas com laser nas bandas de absorção máxima desses corantes. Para verificar se estava ocorrendo a liberação de NO pelo complexo através da sensibilização por corantes foram utilizados os capturadores de NO mioglobina e carboxy-PTIO. Os resultados indicam que não houve liberação de NO nesses casos, sugerindo que não ocorre transferência de energia de corantes para o complexo trans-[Ru(NO)(NH3)4(py)]3+, ao se irradiar na banda de absorbância máxima dos corantes, pelo mecanismo de Förster (transferência de energia a longa distância). Para que ocorra, a fotoquímica deve estar associada a uma transferência de energia do tipo Dexter, onde o corante é ligado diretamente ao complexo. / The known complex trans-[Ru(NO)(NH3)4(py)](BF4)3 was synthesized and characterized by high performance liquid chromatography, 1H NMR, EPR, and electronic and infrared absorption spectroscopies. The complex infrared absorption spectrum displays the NO stretching peak at 1931 cm-1 and its electronic absorption spectrum shows bands at 237 nm (e = 5200 mol-1 L cm-1), 267 (e = 2300 mol-1 L cm-1), and 324 nm (e = 160 mol-1 L cm-1), in agreement with reported values. The Nile blue dye (max = 635 nm) undergoes photochemistry by irradiation with 577 nm light, while rhodamine-B (max = 524 and 570 nm), sodium fluorescein (max = 437 nm) and tartrazine (max = 438 nm) do not. The photolysis of the complex in pH 3 aqueous solution with 313 nm light results in NO release. Aqueous solutions of trans-[Ru(NO)(NH3)4(py)](BF4)3 at pH 7,4 (BPS) in the presence of the monomeric forms of the rhodamina-B (lirr = 570 nm), sodium fluorescein (lirr = 440 e 490 nm), tartrazine (lirr = 440 nm), and acridine orange (lirr = 440 nm) dyes were irradiated at the their absorption maxima. In order to verify the NO release from the complex through sensitization by the dyes, the NO scavengers myoglobin and carboxy-PTIO were used. The results indicate that NO release does not occur under these circumstances, suggesting, thus, that there is no energy transfer from the dyes to the trans-[Ru(NO)(NH3)4(py)]3+ complex by irradiating at the dyes absorbance maxima bands by the Förster mechanism (long distance energy transfer). For the photochemistry to occur it should be associated to a Dexter type energy transfer, in which the sensitizer is directly attached to the complex.

Orientadores: Marco-Aurelio De Paoli, Claudia Longo / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Quimica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-04T15:23:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Nogueira_VivianeCarvalho_M.pdf: 7956042 bytes, checksum: 3497431ee35a85b9d6ad28d95b6055c0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005 / Resumo: As células solares de TiO2 sensibilizadas por corante, DSSC, são constituídas por um filme nanoporoso de TiO2 modificado por um corante fotosensibilizador, um eletrólito no qual está presente o par redox I¨/I3¨, e um contra-eletrodo de platina. Desde 1996 o Laboratório de Polímeros Condutores e Reciclagem (LPCR) do Instituto de Química da Unicamp vem se dedicando ao desenvolvimento de células solares de TiO2/corante de estado sólido, através do emprego de eletrólitos poliméricos. A substituição do eletrólito líquido por um eletrólito polimérico visa minimizar os problemas decorrentes de vazamento ou evaporação do solvente, além de facilitar a montagem dos dispositivos. Estudos anteriores mostraram que as DSSC com eletrólito polimérico apresentam uma baixa estabilidade. Como a durabilidade de um dispositivo é um fator fundamental visando sua produção e uso em larga escala, o objetivo desta dissertação foi investigar as possíveis causas da baixa estabilidade das DSSC e otimizar a composição do eletrólito polimérico baseado em poli(epicloridrina-co-óxido de etileno), P(EO-EPI)84:16, NaI e l2, visando obter células solares com maior eficiência e estabilidade. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que a baixa estabilidade destas células está relacionada com a elevada quantidade de solvente residual presente no dispositivo após o término de sua montagem. A primeira parte do trabalho consistiu em eliminar esta interferência. O eletrólito polimérico foi otimizado através da adição do plastificante poli(etileno glicol) metil éter, P(EGME), que levou a uma redução significativa da temperatura de transição vítrea (Tg) do material polimérico, aumentando a flexibilidade das cadeias poliméricas e também participando na coordenação dos cátions Na, levando ao aumento da condutividade do eletrólito polimérico (s = 1,7 x 10 S cm, para 13 % m/m NaI). O coeficiente de difusão estimado para os íons no eletrólito polimérico com plastificante foi de 2 x 10 cms, aproximadamente 5 vezes maior do que para o eletrólito sem plastificante. A adição do plastificante não comprometeu as estabilidades térmicas, eletroquímicas e dimensionais dos filmes de eletrólito polimérico. A DSSC preparada com o eletrólito de P(EO-EPI) : P(EGME) (1:1) e 13 % (m/m) de NaI/I2 apresentou uma corrente de curto-circuito (ISC) de 1,88 mA cm e eficiência de conversão de energia (h) de 0,52 % (100 mW cm). Sob 10 mW cm, ISC = 0,60 mA cm e h = 1,75 %. Estes resultados mostram que a adição do plastificante contribuiu para melhorar o desempenho da célula solar e o estudo de estabilidade desta DSSC mostrou uma redução de menos de 15 % na eficiência de conversão de energia após 30 dias de irradiação. / Abstract: Dye sensitized solar cells, DSSC, consist of a nanoporous TiO2 electrode modified by a Ru-complex dye, an electrolyte containing the redox couple I¨/I3¨and a Pt counter electrode. Since 1996 the Conductive Polymers and Recycling Laboratory (LPCR) of the Chemistry Institute at Unicamp is developing solid state dye sensitized solar cells through the use of polymer electrolytes. The substitution of the liquid electrolyte by a polymeric one, eliminates the need of perfect sealing and avoids many problems caused by leakage or evaporation of the solvent, besides making the assembly of the cells much easier. Previous works showed that the DSSC assembled with polymer electrolytes present a poor stability. The durability of a device is a very important parameter when considering practical interests for application of DSSC, so the aim of this dissertation was to investigate the major causes of the poor stability ofthe DSSC and to optimize the composition of the polymer electrolyte based on poly(epichlorohydrin-co-ethylene oxide), P(EO-EPI)84:16, NaI and I2, in order to obtain solar cells with improved efficiency and stability. The results showed that the poor stability of the solar cells could be assigned to the presence of a large amounts of residual solvent in the assembled devices. The first step of the work consisted in eliminating this interference. The polymer electrolyte was optimized through the addition of the plasticizer, poly(ethylene glycol methyl ether), P(EGME), leading to a significant reduction of the copolymer glass transition temperature (Tg), increasing the chains flexibility, and also coordinating the Nacations, enhancing the ionic conductivity of the polymer electrolyte (s = 1.7 X 10 S cm, with 13 wt. % NaI). The diffusion coefficient estimated for the polymer electrolyte with the plasticizer was 2 x 10 cm s, about 5 times larger than for the electrolyte without plasticizer. The plasticizer did not affeet the thermal, electrochemical and dimensional stabilities of the polymer electrolyte films. The DSSC assembled with the polymer electrolyte based on P(EO-EPI) : P(EGME) (1:1) and 13 wt. % of NaI/I2 showed short circuit current (ISC) of 1.88 mA cm and overall conversion efficiency (h) of 0.52 % (100 mW cm). At 10 mW cm, ISC = 0.60 mA cm and h = 1.75 %. These results show that the plasticizer enhanced the performance of the solar cell. The stability test showed a reduction of less than 15 % in the efficiency of energy conversion after irradiating the DSSC for 30 days. / Mestrado / Quimica Inorganica / Mestre em Química

The literature surrounding organic small-molecule donor-acceptor systems is summarised for a range of optoelectronic applications (OLEDs, OPVs, OFETs etc.). There is a focus on the key building blocks: 1,3,4-oxadiazole (OXD), diphenylamine (DPA), carbazole (Cbz) and fluorene (F). The incorporation of such moieties into various donor-acceptor systems is discussed with further reference to selected alternative organic donor and acceptor systems. The syntheses of novel bipolar molecules based on a donor-spacer-acceptor (DPA/Cbz-F-OXD) structure and the incorporation of these molecules into single-layer OLEDs is presented. It is demonstrated how the emission colour can be tuned from green to deep blue by systematic manipulation of the structure. A significant result is that high efficiency accompanied with pure, deep blue emission in single-layer OLEDs can be achieved with this structural motif. The incorporation of these materials as part of a simple two-component blend to produce white OLEDs is presented and the modification of the materials to improve electron-transport properties is discussed. The synthesis of DPA-bridge-OXD wire systems is presented with the use of oligo-p-phenyleneethynylene units as a bridge of varying length to investigate the effect on charge transfer between the donor and acceptor. Photophysical studies demonstrate the change in absorption, emission and fluorescence lifetimes as the length scale of the molecules is altered. The synthesis of a series of planarised and twisted DPA-bridge-OXD systems based upon phenylene linkers is discussed. Finally, a series of DPA-F-OXD-anchor molecules is presented for incorporation into DSSC devices. The synthesis of these materials is described and the suitability of various anchoring groups for DSSCs is analysed through photophysical and device studies.