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US 2015/0083201 A1Published application
Hybrid solar cell
AssigneeCompas Industries LLC
InventorHelen E. VanBenschoten
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and devices are disclosed herein that generally involve solar cells having an anode formed in a core/shell/shell construction. The core is formed from oxide nanoparticles, which are then coated with a catalyst and a photoactive semiconductor. This construction, which can be combined with other innovations described herein, results in an inexpensive but efficient solar cell.
Claims18
A solar cell, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a transparent barrier film;
- an anode disposed between the substrate and the transparent barrier film, the anode comprising a film of oxide nanoparticles having first and second coating layers, wherein one of the first and second coating layers is a catalyst nanoparticle coating layer and a second one of the first and second coating layers is a metal oxide photoactive semiconductor coating layer;
- and
- a cathode.
2 more elements
A solar cell comprising:
- a substrate;
- a transparent barrier film;
- a first electrode at least partially disposed between the substrate and the barrier film, the first electrode being formed of titanium oxide nanoparticles having first and second coating layers, a first one of the first and second coating layers comprising platinum catalyst nanoparticles and a second one of the first and second coating layers comprising a metal oxide photoactive semiconductor;
- and
- a second electrode disposed at least partially between the substrate and the transparent barrier film.
2 more elements
A method for forming an electrode having a core and two layers, the electrode for use in a solar cell, comprising:
- providing a titanium oxide nanoparticle substrate;
- providing a catalyst layer on the titanium oxide nanoparticle substrate, providing the catalyst layer comprising:
- impregnating a metal salt onto the titanium oxide nanoparticle substrate in an aqueous or alcohol solvent;
- fixing the metal salt to the surface of the titanium oxide nanoparticle substrate by heating;
- and
- chemically reducing the metal salt to a desired metal or metal oxide;
- and
- providing a photoactive metal oxide layer on the titanium oxide nanoparticle substrate, providing the photoactive metal oxide layer comprising:
- impregnating a metal salt onto the titanium oxide nanoparticle substrate in an aqueous or alcohol solvent;
- fixing the metal salt to the surface of the titanium oxide nanoparticle substrate by heating;
- and
- chemically reducing the metal salt to a desired metal oxide.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.