Constructing a Dye Sensitized Solar Cell

[steven6chen]

for the iodide electrolyte, can polyethylene glycol be used along with iodine and potassium iodide to make it?



[nabrams1]

@steven6chen polyethylene glycol is a solid at room temperature. Do you mean ethylene glycol? That is the solvent for the electrolyte.

[nabrams1]

@Riserna 0.5M KI, 0.05M I2 in ethylene glycol.

[167mm167]

any one can make it for me?

I am looking for solar cell for RED light.

Just for RED is OK. I am good to put it under RED light, NOT under Sun.

[apcsaba]

Great Video.....I have been studying this stuffs in Silico for a year now , but I didnt have teh chance to see a real working DSSC so far...this video made it easier for me to see a real example ...Thanks

[proxpor]

That's a really nice video, thanks for share it. It really helped me!

[dscInformer]

for more information on dsc also have a look on dye-solar-cell com

[kavinash85]

hey can i use tincture of iodine solution instead of tri iodide solution

[nabrams1]

@kavinash85 This should work in theory (same iodide complex), but there is probably too much water in the tincture for it to work.

[kavinash85]

Can you please let me know the detailed procedure for the synthesis of redox couple.

did you use ITO or FTO???

[nabrams1]

@kavinash85 FTO

[98765superduper]

Hi. Can you please let me know the detailed procedure for the synthesis of redox couple.

[nabrams1]

@98765superduper 0.5 M potassium iodide mixed with 0.05 M iodine in ethylene glycol.

[frostvectron]

@nabrams1 Hi, I was wondering where I can get the KI and Iodine in EG? Can you point me to a source? Thanks so much.

[nabrams1]

@frostvectron I would suggest chemistry labs or chemical suppliers. Iodine is hard to get a hold of these days. You can also buy the whole DSSC kit from the Institute for Chemical Education.

[frostvectron]

@nabrams1 I am looking at Sigma Aldrich for the ingredients for the electrolyte solution. They have KI and iodine solutions in water in the concentrations you had specified. What was the volume ratio of 0.5M KI, 0.05M Iodine, and EG that was used?

Thanks again!

[nabrams1]

@frostvectron Volume ratio is defined by molarity. I would suggest obtaining the compounds individually, then making the solution. The triiodide complex is in ethylene glycol, not water. Water will kill the cell. You need about ONE DROP of solution per cell.

[snnvxnr]

@kam03m: the titania layer, which is titanium dioxide, the stuff in sunscreen, has enough thickness to separate the glass plates from each-other. On a different note, the anthocyanin dyes absorb light energy and transfer it to the titania semiconductor layer, which then transfers it to the indium-tin oxide glass and to the rest of the circuit. The electrons return to the cathode, where they combine with the carbon graphite, which is oxidized and then reduced by the triiodide electrolyte. Just a

[nabrams1]

@snnvxnr Pretty close. The electrons don't "combine" with the graphite. The carbon is a catalyst for the reduction of the triiodide electrolyte.

[psicodelio]

Jajajajajajaja "...just simple blackberry juice" sure!

[KingRafox]

@psicodelio in Soviet Russia blackberry plants are solar cells.

[owensbreed]

hi thanks for that great explanations,of how to make solar cells

but how can we get this materials for our experiment

[kam03m]

Does the electrolyte separate the two pieces of conducting glass completely?

[kam03m]

Ok, so the excited electrons are injected into the conduction band of the Ti02 then they move towards the black alligator clip because of the electrical field created by the depletion region in the electrolyte. They are suppose to travel through the multimeter then recombine with the electrolyte completing the circuit. But since the both conducting sides of the glass are touching each other why doesn't the electron follow the path of least resistance and jump directly to the cathode?

[S1KRYD]

How long will these last?

[nabrams1]

@S1KRYD I'd guess <24 hours due to the dye oxidizing (turning brown).

[onlyjustice04]

Hello, I have a few questions:

1.- for the ITO, you say that the correct side must give a resistance of 0 ohms, this is true? because I hear that the conductive side must give a small resistance between 10

and 30 ohms,

2.- for the TiO film, how temperature used to make the fiilm? I mean, is necessary that the TiO2 paste sintered?

I tried make this experiment, but the TiO2 dried and is easy to remove :S, and the cell don't works.

sorry for my english, thanks

[nabrams1]

@onlyjustice04 The resistance should be close to 0 ohm. Certainly not infinite, which is the other option.

Yes, the cell needs to be sintered. If it is flaking/peeling even after sintering, I would guess that the paste was too thick.

[manilaenglish]

Thank you so much for this video. 250 millivolts. So to get 12 volts we would need 48 cells of that size. Can we make the cells bigger than that? What is the maximum diameter we're able to make the chips before losing efficiency? Also, could you tell us the total cost of materials for making a single cell?

[nabrams1]

@manilaenglish Votlage is based on the cell (max around 500 mv). If you want to increase voltage, you need to wire in series. I would not make the cells larger than 25mm x 25 mm. After that, the current drops. Cost: I don't know on a per cell basis.

[manilaenglish]

@nabrams1 Thanks a million for your answer and for helping everyone learn about these dye solar cells. I noticed you told S1KRYD that you expect the cell would last less than 24 hours due to oxidation of the dye. I suppose encasing the panels between glass and vacuuming out all the air would make it last longer, however could you recommend a longer lasting dye?

[nabrams1]

@manilaenglish You can encase the cell in Surlyn (like plastic wrap) an remove air, but oxidation is inevitable.

[manilaenglish]

@nabrams1 Thank you. After I posted that, I started thinking that maybe oxidation would occur anyway. I assume the ingredients have oxygen atoms in them or that air gets introduced into the mixture during the manufacturing process. I have learned a lot from your video.

[tinvaltino]

Well i know where to get blackberry juice

but... NO , we are NOT able to produce a simple solar cell just using blackberry juice.

No idea where one would get Titania and the other chems you used.

And conductive glass ??? huh ?

[MrSolarenergy]

can this be done on a bigger scale .. to produce usable solar energy like 12 volts

[nabrams1]

@MrSolarenergy As long as the smaller cells are wired in series. Small cells are pretty much the only way to go to obtain any useful current.

[scum525]

great vid ! thanks for sharing

[scum525]

how can one get around the annealing stage so a layer could be sprayed on to a large pannel . my autobody oven will only cook to 210 degrees

[nabrams1]

@scum525

There are other methods, but the annealing is needed for this simple preparation.

[smusmani]

Thanks for the video Prof. Abrams. Do you know the recipe to make the iodide solution? Also where should I buy the Titania powder? Thanks.

[trythedonuts]

Would there be any difference in the TiO2 deposition step if conducting PET (ITO-doped) were used instead of a conducting glass slide?

[nabrams1]

The same TiO2 film application would not work since the TiO2 needs to be annealed at 400C. The PET would not survive.

[UCISustainableEnergy]

I was able to build one of these but the cell dried out and turned white over time. Any suggestion as to how I could fix this? Thanks.

[nabrams1]

I would not expect the cell to dry out since the redox electrolyte is made using ethylene glycol. Instead, I would think the anthocyanin dyes oxidized, turning the cell a brownish color. If it turned completely white, either the redox electrolyte was not correct or the cell was exposed to a large amount of heat and UV light.

[SuperMosquitoz]

Excuse me, but I tempt to reproduce this experience, but which acide is use to prepare the TiO2?

(at 0:55 to 1:30)

Thanks :)

[nabrams1]

Dilute nitric or acetic. pH 3-4 should be adequate.

[nabrams1]

I do not see any errors with this portion.  Please elaborate.

[nabrams1]

The resistance on the wrong side should be infinite meaning there is an infinitely high resistance to electron flow. If the ITO glass is high quality, there is no contact resistance, or the multimeter is not very precise, than you will observe 0 Ohms rather than 20-30.

[04aurora04]

What would you estimate the $ / Watt to be with this type of cell? Also, will this same method / procedure work with larger pieces of conductive glass (1-2 feet square vs 1 inch square)?

[jibbs001]

okej thanks for helping

[nabrams1]

Generally, annealing at 400-450 degrees C will suffice.

[jibbs001]

thanks for anwering my question, but what's the temp. i have to heat with so that it sticks ? is it about 500 celcius

[nabrams1]

If the TiO2 is not sticking when heated, it is most likely due to the paste being too thick. If it flakes BEFORE being heated (but after drying) it is due to the paste being too thin.

[jibbs001]

wow this video is so good, thanks guys, but as i did with the other video you had uploaded before , i have the same question here too, please ,the titaniun doixide layer won't stick to the glas when i heat it up , can you help me please, it is a heatproblem or do i have a too think layer?