Enhancement of dye-sensitized solar cells using colloidal nanoparticles

COLL 451

Abdollah Neshat, Abdollah.Neshat@utoledo.edu and Terry P Bigioni, Terry.Bigioni@utoledo.edu. Department of Chemistry, University of Toledo, 2801 W. Bancroft Street, Toledo, OH 43606-3390
Nanocrystalline dye-sensitized solar cells hold promise as a cheap third-generation alternative to present photovoltaic technologies. Increasing the power conversion efficiency and the long-term stability of these dye-sensitized cells remain important challenges before commercial adoption is possible. Our focus is to improve the energy harvesting efficiency by reducing the losses incurred as electrons diffuse to the anode. We are studying how colloidal nanoparticles can enhance the efficiency by improving the ability of the solar cells to absorb light. By absorbing light closer to the anode we expect there to be fewer opportunities for energy scavenging, thereby increasing the short circuit current and power output of the devices.