Impact of photocatalysis on carotenoic acid
dye-sensitized solar cells

• Authors: Res Jöhr , Lukasz Zajac , Gino Günzburger , Hubert Hug , Bartosz Such , Marek Szymonski , Ernst Meyer , Thilo Glatzel
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Sensitized mesoporous titania is of increasing
interest for catalysis and photovoltaic devices such
as dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). For photovoltaic
applications, the catalytic properties of TiO2 can cause
degradation of the dyes during device fabrication. This
is especially the case if natural sensitizers are used. We
addressed this issue by fabrication of carotenoic acid
sensitized solar cells under inert and ambient assembly
conditions. The DSCs were investigated by currentvoltage
and quantum efficiency measurements. Further
characterization of the cells was made using impedance
spectroscopy. The conversion efficiency of the DSCs
prepared under inert conditions improved by at least 25%
and the devices showed an enhanced reproducibility. The
improvement of the DSCs correlated with the conversion
efficiency of the sensitizers under inert conditions. We
conclude that the photocatalytic bleaching depends on
the electron injection efficiency of the sensitizer. Hence
carotenoic acids support their own degradation. However,
the photocatalytic decomposition of the sensitizers can be
avoided by fabrication of the DSCs under inert conditions.

Keywords

EN

Hybrid photovoltaics; natural sensitizers; degradation; titania

• Publisher: De Gruyter Open
• Journal: Hybrid Materials
• Year: 2015
• Volume: 2
• Issue: 1

Dates

online

19 - 11 - 2015

received

22 - 4 - 2015

accepted

4 - 9 - 2015

Contributors

author

Res Jöhr

• Department of Physics, University
  of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland

author

Lukasz Zajac

• Department of Physics,
  Jagiellonian University, Lojasiewicza 11, 30-348 Krakow, Poland

author

Gino Günzburger

• Department of Physics, University
  of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland

author

Hubert Hug

• DSM Nutritional Products Ltd., Wurmisweg 576, 4303
  Kaiseraugst, Switzerland

author

Bartosz Such

• Department of Physics,
  Jagiellonian University, Lojasiewicza 11, 30-348 Krakow, Poland

author

Marek Szymonski

• Department of Physics,
  Jagiellonian University, Lojasiewicza 11, 30-348 Krakow, Poland

author

Ernst Meyer

• Department of Physics, University
  of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland

author

Thilo Glatzel

• Department of Physics, University
  of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland

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Identifiers

DOI

10.1515/hyma-2015-0003