Combined solution effects yield stable thin-film Cd(Se,Te)/polysulfide photoelectrochemical solar cells
Photocurrent-voltage and long-term stability (greater than a year) results of thin-film Cd(Se,Te)/aqueous polysulfide photoelectrochemical solar cells (PEC) are presented. In outdoor experiments, it is demonstrated that small modifications of polysulfide electrolyte composition can increase cadmium chalcogenide/polysulfide PEC solar cell lifetimes from months to years. After an initial small rise and fall in solar to electrical conversion efficiency, a photoelectrochemical solar cell, containing a pasted thin-film Cd(Se,Te) photoelectrode immersed in an electrolyte of 1.8 M Cs/sub 2/S and 3 M S, exhibited complete stability (for an 8-month outdoors operation) at 4.1% conversion efficiency. Optimization of (i) nominal sulfide concentration, (ii) the ratio of dissolved sulfur to sulfide, (iii) removal of hydroxide, and (iv) correct choice of cation (cesium) in polysulfide electrolyte, in addition to increasing solution or cell stability, improves thin-film and single-crystal Cd(Se,Te) solar to electrical relative efficiencies by 24% and 65%, respectively, when compared to those in commonly used polysulfide electrolytes. 26 references, 3 figures, 1 table.
- Research Organization:
- Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- OSTI ID:
- 5923958
- Journal Information:
- J. Phys. Chem.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Phys. Chem.; (United States) Vol. 90:6; ISSN JPCHA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Thin film cadmium chalcogenide/aqueous polysulfide photoelectrochemical solar cells with in-situ tin storage
Visible light to electrical energy conversion using photoelectrochemical cells
Related Subjects
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CADMIUM SELENIDES
CADMIUM TELLURIDES
CESIUM COMPOUNDS
CESIUM SULFIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CRYSTALS
DATA
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELECTRODES
ELECTROLYTIC CELLS
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
INFORMATION
MONOCRYSTALS
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
PHOTOELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
PHOTOELECTROLYTIC CELLS
SELENIDES
SELENIUM COMPOUNDS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLVENT PROPERTIES
SULFIDES
SULFUR
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TELLURIDES
TELLURIUM COMPOUNDS
VOLTAMETRY