Making a Dye Sensitized Solar Cell

[blueduderanch]

i saw that you didnt use a carbon catalyst. why was that?

[kavinash85]

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

[YoLninYo]

How about putting down a recipe with the process? What chemicals are you using? for how long? what tempratures? etc. ... without it, its just a video of two hands dancing around to some nice jazz music. Don't gloat over it with the initiates, share it with the rest of us.

[YoLninYo]

@YoLninYo Nevermind. just saw the other video.

[overunitydotcom]

Hi,

Regarding to my research the PN layer is the SnO2 versus the TiO2 that produces the bandgap that is needed !

Can you also use saltwater as the electrolyte ( NaCl water-solution ) ?

Many thanks.

Please come to:

overunity(.)com / inde x. ph p?to pic=6699

Please remove the brackets and spaces to get the right link.

where we show selfmade solar cells.

Many thanks.

Regards, Stefan.

[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]

hay thanks for this good video, but i have one question , do you know why the titaniun doixide won't stick to the glas after heating it up , is is because i am applaying to think layer or is it a heatproblem? please help, thanks again

[recyclingismylife]

Hi! First...wonderful video. I am studying alternative energy at my college, and would reall ylike to show my class how to make a dye sensitive cell. You mentioned that you would include some specifics on compounds used and quantities of said compounds. Also, any prep specs you can think of to include (heating temp/time/etc) would help a lot. Feel free to send me a pm if you like. Again, thanks so much for the great video, and I am eagerly looking forward to your response.

[nabrams1]

Other anthocyanins do not possess the correct molecular configuration to efficiently adsorb to metal oxides (TiO2, ZnO).

[nabrams1]

Grape juice does not possess the correct anthocyanins for proper attachment to the TiO2 (cyanin 3-glucoside). Try blackberries, raspberries, or cherries. Pomegranates also work, but not as well. P25 is a brand name made by Degussa/Evonik that is high surface area. Any form of TiO2 will generally work, but the more surface area equates to more photocurrent. Crystal form of TiO2 is also important.

[RAndersom]

Why is it so particular to particular Anthocyanins could a more resilient non organic die be used?

[nabrams1]

The TiO2 is standard P25 TiO2. The high surface area offers higher dye binding. You can quantify this using visible absorbance spectra. As long as you are using the correct dyes, binding should be high. It does not appear that you state the source of your TiO2.

[UCISustainableEnergy]

I'm using *Newman's Own 100% grape juice as my dye - It's made from concord grapes which contain anthocyanins so I figured it should be fine. Unfortunately, I don't have a spectrometer so I can't measure the absorbance. As for my TiO2, I don't know what P25 means, but it's CAS No. is 13463-67-7 if that tells you anything. Any other suggestions perhaps?

[UCISustainableEnergy]

How do you get the anthocyanin dyes to bind so well with the TiO2? I've been trying to accomplish this at home but mine isn't as nearly as dark as yours. Is the key to the process heating it?

P.s. I posted a more detailed description of what I did on yahoo answers with a search title, "Homemade Dye Sensitized Solar Cell".

Anyway, Great work! Keep it up.

[nabrams1]

Power? No. Power requires current and voltage. These cells put out very low currents as the anthocyanins in the dye are not ideal for the DSSC. Voltage are between 500-600 mV.

[exnavi]

Whats your power output of the cell under 100W lamp?

[nabrams1]

What do you need to know?

[rockhopper121]

what is that in the paper and that dark thingi

[leomtz]

I am very interested to homemade DYE solar cell, can you help me?

[nabrams1]

Your comments are noted. This video was produced for those with a science background and knowledge in dye-sensitized solar cells, hence your confusion. If you are interested in making these cells, I can send you a number of references of list.

[Mixman77]

This was a complete waste of time. The presenter did not show any of the properties nor at what percentage one would use the properties if known.

It would be great if they would present us with the proper ingredients and what percentage of each ingredients used.

Thx in advance for your attention to the matter!

[eviltheory]

How thin do you make the titania layer? What titania source do you use in the video, Degussa P-25?

[nabrams1]

Thickness is unknown, but probably in the 10-50 micron region. It is 1-2 pieces of Scotch tape, but dependent on paste thickness. Thick enough so it sticks to the TCO and doesn't crack, thin enough so it doesn't flake off. The TiO2 is P-25, also known as Aeroxide P-25 from Evonik.

[eviltheory]

Would it be favourable to have a lower thickness e.g. 500 nm if possible? I see your point about the cracking though.

I am a sol-gel chemist and want to prepare a novel mesoporous titania by self-assembly.

And hopefully build the cell with my calcined powder.

[nabrams1]

Thinner is not better since not all of the available photons would be absorbed. The dye is adsorbed as a monolayer, so given standard mesoporous TiO2, the proper thickness is ~10 microns for complete photon absorption at lambda(max). If you want a thinner cell, then you need a better absorber than the standard N3 or N719 dyes.

[timepass99]

Thank you.

[nabrams1]

This was originally meant as a "how to" for students in my chemistry lab course, but I can work on expanding it in the future. Maybe a project for this summer. Thanks for your input.

[fetmar]

Do you think you might be able to add some additional info with annotations? I feel like I missed a few steps or ingredients or specifics. In other words, I don't think I could go out and make one after watching this video. Thanks! :)

[nabrams1]

Asahi glass (japan) or Libbey-Owens (U.S.). Smaller resellers are Hartford glass in Indiana. They are great to work with. There are preps for making the fluorine doped tin oxide, but they aren't easy. if this isn't for research, indium doped should also work, just not as well.

[overunitydotcom]

Hi,

is the glas ITO coated ?

What materails do you use ?

Titandioxid mixed with what fluid ?

isopropyl Alcohol ?

Did you heat the glas plate which you did not show ?

What is your electrolyte ?

Also Jodid ?

Is this the Graetzel cell ?

Many thanks.

[HJvKProductions]

Yes this is the Grätzel cell.

The glass is probally ITO coated with SnO2 I guess. They probally used titanoumdioxode mixed with a for me unknown fluid.

The glassplate is mostly heated above a gasburner. Until it turned yellowish and back to white again. The electrolyte would be Jodid I guess...

At least that's what I think/guess/know,

HJvK

[nabrams1]

yes, this is a Gratzel cell. The glass is FTO (like ITO, just fluorine doped, not indium) and the TiO2 paste is made from Degussa Aeroxide mixed with a small amount of dilute nitric.

The TiO2 is calcined on a lab hotplate for ~10 minutes. The electrolyte is triiodide made my mixing KI and I2 in ethylene glycol.

[tagosan]

Where can you find glass that is coated with SnO2 or any transparent conducting oxide?

[Tbreeza]

they ar mostly found on labtop screens