Electrolyte composition and dye-sensitized solar cells employing the same
OwnerByung Hee Sohn, Jung Gyu Nam +2inventors
InventorsByung Hee Sohn, Jung Gyu Nam, Sang Cheol Park, Jae Gu Yoon
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Abstract
Disclosed herein is an electrolyte composition useful in a dye-sensitized solar cell. The electrolyte includes a ring compound to which metal cations of an oxidation-reduction derivative are bound, so that the anions of the oxidation-reduction derivative can freely deliver electrons, thereby significantly improving the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the solar cells.
Claims13
An electrolyte, comprising a ring compound, represented by chemical formula 1, and an oxidation-reduction derivative:
- wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 may be the same or different and are independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom;
- a substituted or non-substituted C1-C30 alkyl;
- substituted or non-substituted C2-C30 alkenyl;
- a substituted or non-substituted C2-C30 alkynyl;
- a substituted or non-substituted C1-C30 alkoxy;
- a substituted or non-substituted C6-C30 arylalkyl;
- a substituted or non-substituted C6-C30 aryloxy;
- a substituted or non-substituted C1-C30 heteroalkyl;
- a substituted or non-substituted C1-C30 heteroalkyloxy;
- a substituted or non-substituted C2-C30 heteroaryloxy;
- a substituted or non-substituted C2-C30 heteroarylalkyl;
- and a substituted or repeating unit of non-substituted C3-C30 alkyloxy;
- X is an element with a lone electron pair;
- and
- n is an integer from 4 to 10.
A dye-sensitized solar cell, comprising a semiconductor electrode, a counter electrode, and an electrolyte comprising
- a ring compound, represented by chemical formula 1, and an oxidation-reduction derivative:
- wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 may be the same or different and are independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom;
- a substituted or non-substituted C1-C30 alkyl;
- substituted or non-substituted C2-C30 alkenyl;
- a substituted or non-substituted C2-C30 alkynyl;
- a substituted or non-substituted C1-C30 alkoxy;
- a substituted or non-substituted C6-C30 arylalkyl;
- a substituted or non-substituted C6-C30 aryloxy;
- a substituted or non-substituted C1-C30 heteroalkyl;
- a substituted or non-substituted C1-C30 heteroalkyloxy;
- a substituted or non-substituted C2-C30 heteroaryloxy;
- a substituted or non-substituted C2-C30 heteroarylalkyl;
- and a substituted or repeating unit of non-substituted C3-C30 alkyloxy;
- X is an element with a lone electron pair;
- and
- n is an integer from 4 to 10,
- wherein the electrolyte is disposed between the semiconductor electrode and the counter electrode.
A method of improving the photoelectric efficiency of a dye-sensitized solar cell comprising combining
- an electrolyte comprising an oxidation-reduction derivative, and
- a ring compound, represented by chemical formula 1,
- wherein, R1, R2, R3 and R4 may be the same or different and are independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom;
- a substituted or non-substituted C1-C30 alkyl;
- substituted or non-substituted C2-C30 alkenyl;
- a substituted or non-substituted C2-C30 alkynyl;
- a substituted or non-substituted C1-C30 alkoxy;
- a substituted or non-substituted C6-C30 arylalkyl;
- a substituted or non-substituted C6-C30 aryloxy;
- a substituted or non-substituted C1-C30 heteroalkyl;
- a substituted or non-substituted C1-C30 heteroalkyloxy;
- a substituted or non-substituted C2-C30 heteroaryloxy;
- a substituted or non-substituted C2-C30 heteroarylalkyl;
- and a substituted or repeating unit of non-substituted C3-C30 alkyloxy;
- X is an element with a lone electron pair;
- and
- n is an integer from 4 to 10, and
- wherein the electrolyte is disposed between the semiconductor electrode and the counter electrode of a dye, and wherein the photoelectric conversion efficiency η of the cell is improved by greater than or equal to 0.1% in total efficiency when measured under irradiance conditions according to AM 1.5 standard.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.