Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) offer the possibilities to design solar cells with a large flexibility in shape, color, and transparency. DSC research groups have been established around the worl ...

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Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

2.3. Evaluation of Photocatalytic Water Splitting 6507 2.3.1. Photocatalytic Activity 6507 2.3.2. Photocatalytic Stability 6507 3. UV-Active Photocatalysts for Water Splitting 6507 3.1. d0 Metal Oxide Photocatalyts 6507 3.1.1. Ti-, Zr-Based Oxides 6507 3.1.2. Nb-, Ta-Based Oxides 6514 3.1.3. W-, Mo-Based Oxides 6517 3.1.4. Other d0 Metal Oxides 6518 3.2. d10 Metal Oxide Photocatalyts 6518 3.3. f0 Metal Oxide Photocatalysts 6518 3.4. Nonoxide Photocatalysts 6518 4. Approaches to Modifying the Electronic Band Structure for Visible-Light Harvesting 6519

Semiconductor-based Photocatalytic Hydrogen Generation

The science and technology of ultracapacitors are reviewed for a number of electrode materials, including carbon, mixed metal oxides, and conducting polymers. More work has been done using microporous carbons than with the other materials and most of the commercially available devices use carbon electrodes and an organic electrolytes. The energy density of these devices is 3¯5 Wh/kg with a power density of 300¯500 W/kg for high efficiency (90¯95%) charge/discharges. Projections of future developments using carbon indicate that energy densities of 10 Wh/kg or higher are likely with power densities of 1¯2 kW/kg. A key problem in the fabrication of these advanced devices is the bonding of the thin electrodes to a current collector such the contact resistance is less than 0.1 cm2. Special attention is given in the paper to comparing the power density characteristics of ultracapacitors and batteries. The comparisons should be made at the same charge/discharge efficiency.

Ultracapacitors: Why, How, and Where is the Technology

Mesoporous Anatase TiO2 Beads with High Surface Areas and Controllable Pore Sizes: A Superior Candidate for High‐Performance Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

Electrolytes in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Natural dyes as photosensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cell

A novel thermosetting gel electrolyte for stable quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are receiving considerable attention as low-cost alternatives to conventional solar cells. In DSSCs based on liquid electrolytes, a photoelectric efficiency of 11 % has been achieved, but potential problems in sealing the cells and the low long-term stability of these systems have impeded their practical use. Here, we present a thermoplastic gel electrolyte (TPGE) as an alternative to the liquid electrolytes used in DSSCs. The TPGE exhibits a thermoplastic character, high conductivity, long-term stability, and can be prepared by a simple and convenient protocol. The viscosity, conductivity, and phase state of the TPGE can be controlled by tuning the composition. Using 40 wt % poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as the polymeric host, 60 wt % propylene carbonate (PC) as the solvent, and 0.65 M KI and 0.065 M I2 as the ionic conductors, a TPGE with a conductivity of 2.61 mS cm–2 is prepared. Based on this TPGE, a DSSC is fabricated with an overall light-to-electrical-energy conversion efficiency of 7.22 % under 100 mW cm–2 irradiation. The present findings should accelerate the widespread use of DSSCs.

Sancun Hao

Papers

Natural dyes as photosensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cell

A novel thermosetting gel electrolyte for stable quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells

A Thermoplastic Gel Electrolyte for Stable Quasi‐Solid‐State Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

The polymer gel electrolyte based on poly(methyl methacrylate) and its application in quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells

Gel polymer electrolyte based on poly(acrylonitrile-co-styrene) and a novel organic iodide salt for quasi-solid state dye-sensitized solar cell