A New Method for Manufacturing Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells on Plastic Substrates

摘要

A new method for the preparation of nanostructured TiO_2 films, based on the compression of a TiO_2 powder is presented, and its relevance for the production of dye-sensitized solar cells is discussed. By applying a pressure (>200 kg cm~(-2)) on a film of TiO_2 powder, a mechanically stable nanostructured film is formed, which is suitable as substrate for dye-sensitized solar cells without the necessity of a high temperature sintering step. Using Degussa P25 TiO_2 powder, the so called N719 dye, I~-/I_3~- in 3-methoxypropionitrile as redox electrolyte, and thermally platinized conducting glass as counterelectrode, we have achieved an overall efficiency of 4.5 +- 0.3% for solar cells using conducting glass and 4.0 +- 0.5% for cells using conducting plastic. In both cases no high temperature step was applied. The new method allows for a high throughput, continuous roll-to-roll production process, where a roller mill is used for the compression step. Currently, interconnected modules and monolithic cells prepared with the press technique are being studied.