Enhancing photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells by rare-earth doped oxide of SrAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}:Eu{sup 3+}

Journal Article · Fri Apr 15 04:00:00 EDT 2016 · Materials Research Bulletin

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MATERRESBULL.2016.01.013· OSTI ID:22581521

Wang, Lijun; Guo, Weihua ^[1]; Hao, Hongshun ^[1]; Su, Qing; Jin, Shanshan; Li, Hong; Hu, Xiaofei ^[1]; Qin, Lei ^[2]; Gao, Wenyuan; Liu, Guishan ^[1]

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1. Department of Inorganic Nonmetallic Materials Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034 (China)
2. National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034 (China)

Graphical abstract: Current–voltage characteristics of DSSCs based on the photoanodes doping different SrAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}:Eu{sup 3+} and doping 3% SrAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}. - Highlights: • A down-conversion (DC) nanocrystal (SrAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}:Eu{sup 3+}) was synthesized. • The effect of SrAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}:Eu{sup 3+} doped in photoanode in DSSCs was investigated. • SrAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}:Eu{sup 3+} doped in photoanode appeared the better photovoltaic performances. • The dual function of DC and p-type doping effect were explained. - Abstract: SrAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}:Eu{sup 3+} down-conversion (DC) nanocrystals were synthesized by a sol–gel method and then doped in TiO{sub 2} as a photoanode in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Differential thermal analysis, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and Brunauer–Emmet–Teller analysis confirmed the formation of SrAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}:Eu{sup 3+} nanocrystals with diameters of ∼47 nm, pore size of ∼25 nm, sintering temperature of 1300 °C. The photoluminescence and UV–vis absorption spectra of the SrAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}:Eu{sup 3+} revealed a DC from ultraviolet light to visible light which matched the strong absorbing region of the N719 dye. The photoelectric conversion efficiency of the DSSCs with a TiO{sub 2} photoanode doped with 3 wt% SrAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}:Eu{sup 3+} was 20% higher than that with a pure TiO{sub 2} photoanode. This phenomenon could be mainly explained by SrAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}:Eu{sup 3+} nanocrystals’ ability of DC and increased the short-circuit current density. It could be minorly due to the p-type doping effect and slightly improved the open-circuit voltage.

• OSTI ID: 22581521
• Journal Information: Materials Research Bulletin, Journal Name: Materials Research Bulletin Vol. 76; ISSN MRBUAC; ISSN 0025-5408
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ABSORPTION SPECTRA
ALUMINATES
CURRENT DENSITY
DIFFERENTIAL THERMAL ANALYSIS
DOPED MATERIALS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
EUROPIUM IONS
FOURIER TRANSFORMATION
NANOSTRUCTURES
PHOTOANODES
PHOTOLUMINESCENCE
PHOTOVOLTAIC EFFECT
SOL-GEL PROCESS
SOLAR CELLS
STRONTIUM COMPOUNDS
THIN FILMS
TITANIUM OXIDES
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
VISIBLE RADIATION
X-RAY DIFFRACTION