# US 9,039,881 B2 · Working electrode, method for fabricating the same and dye-sensitized solar cell containing the same

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- Number: US 9,039,881 B2
- Document ID: US9039881B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/966,537
- Filed: 2010-12-13
- Published: 2012-03-29
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2010-09-24
- Assignees: Jinex Corporation LTD.
- Applicants: Jian-Ging Chen; Nien-Tzu Liu; Kun-Long Hsieh; Hsin-Wei Chen
- Inventors: Jian-Ging Chen; Nien-Tzu Liu; Kun-Long Hsieh; Hsin-Wei Chen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039881B2

## CPC

- H01G 9/2068: {Panels or arrays of photoelectrochemical cells, e.g. photovoltaic modules based on photoelectrochemical cells}
- H01G 9/2059: {comprising an organic dye as the active light absorbing material, e.g. adsorbed on an electrode or dissolved in solution}
- H01G 9/2031: {comprising titanium oxide, e.g. TiO2 (H01G9/2036 takes precedence)}
- H01G 9/2095: {comprising a flexible sustrate}
- Y02E 10/542: Dye sensitized solar cells
- H01G: CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES, LIGHT-SENSITIVE OR TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE DEVICES OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE (selection of specified materials as dielectric H01B3/00; capacitors having potential barriers H10D1/62, H10K10/10)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

The present invention provides a method for fabricating a working electrode. The method comprises the following steps: providing a photoelectrode, which comprises a conductive substrate with a semiconductor material; providing a dye solution, which comprises a dye dissolved in a solvent; and applying a voltage for conducting an electrophoresis to adsorb said dye onto a surface of said semiconductor material. The method of present invention makes the dye adsorbed fast to a surface of a semiconductor material by electrophoresis, and therefore, significantly reduces the time for fabricating a dye-sensitized solar cell.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for fabricating a working electrode, comprising the following steps:
(a) providing a photoelectrode, which comprises a conductive substrate having a semiconductor material; providing a dye solution consisting of a dye and a solvent;
(b) putting said photoelectrode into an electrophoresis bath and introducing said dye solution into said electrophoresis bath; and
(c) applying a voltage for conducting an electrophoresis to adsorb said dye onto a surface of said semiconductor material.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing an electrode, which forms an electrical pathway with said photoelectrode to conduct said electrophoresis.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor material is a semiconductor nanomaterial.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method according to claim 3, wherein said semiconductor nanomaterial is titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, zirconium dioxide or a combination thereof.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein a material of said conductive substrate is metal.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein said conductive substrate is a substrate having a conductive material coated on a surface thereof.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, wherein a material of said substrate is glass, plastic or metal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, wherein said conductive material is indium tin oxide (ITO), fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO), antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO), aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO), gallium-doped zinc oxide (GZO), indium-doped zinc oxide (IZO) or a combination thereof.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein said solvent is an organic solvent.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, wherein said organic solvent comprises nitrile, ester, amide, alkane, alcohol or a combination thereof.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein said voltage is between 10˜1000 V.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A working electrode, which is fabricated by the method of claim 1.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

A dye-sensitized solar cell, which comprises the working electrode of claim 12.