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Special topic volume with invited peer reviewed papers only.

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: Emerging Trends and Advanced Applications is highly focused on addressing all aspects of dye sensitized solar cell technology. In this book, the authors present systematic analysis and working principles and detailed studies of individual components, manufacturing methods, software assisted design surrounding the technology market, commercialization potential, and performance evaluations and detailed fabrication methods and parameters. As there is no specific book which could encircle all the aspects of dye sensitized solar cells from its very basic working principles to advanced approached to improve it efficiency, this book fills that gap. Providing a comprehensive study on dye sensitized solar cells, this reference covers basic working principles to advanced approaches in improving efficiency as well as thermodynamic and kinetic studies. It will be ideal for advanced stage researchers and engineers looking to get a grip on DSSC technology. - Provides a compilation of all-important principles and advanced research in the field of dye sensitized solar cells - Specifies constituents of each DSSC, from basic to advanced level - Details advances in fabrication and software assisted design of DSSC

The operation of everything in the universe needs a special „material“-energy. The earth is no exception. There are many kinds of energy sources on earth. But where does the earth‘s energy come from? The answer is that everything grows under the sun. Developing renewable energy is of strategic importance to achieve sustainable energy supply. Simulating natural photosynthesis is the ultimate goal of effi cient solar energy conversion. Photovoltaic technology has been widely used in industry and will be one of the major energy sources in the future. Developing new materials and structures, the photoelectric conversion effi ciency of solar cells will be improved day by day, and solar cells will attract more and more attention. This book presents principles of solar photovoltaic conversion, and introduces the physical and chemical processes involved. Mechanisms which affect solar cell performance are also discussed.

Renewable energies have become an attractive option to overcome the energy demands in sustainable and affordable ways. It has been estimated that one-third of the total renewable energies would be generated from photovoltaics (PVs). A solar or PV cell is a device that directly converts sunlight into electricity by taking benefit of the photoelectric effect. In the third-generation solar PVs, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are believed to be the most promising and have attracted wide attention. The optimization of a DSSC is focused on four main components: (i) metal oxide semiconductor, (ii) photosensitizer, (iii) redox couple electrolyte, and (iv) counter electrode. Among these, the counter electrode undertakes three functions: (i) as a catalyst, (ii) as a positive electrode of primary cells, and (iii) as a mirror. To obey these functions, the electrode material should have high catalytic activity, high conductivity, high reflectivity, high surface area, and electrochemical and mechanical stability. To improve the performance of DSSCs, many scientists have developed new counter electrodes made of platinum, carbon materials, transition metals, conductive polymers, and composites. This book converses the various aspects of materials for the fabrication of counter electrodes especially for the DSSCs.

Offers an Interdisciplinary approach to the engineering of functional materials for efficient solar cell technology Written by a collection of experts in the field of solar cell technology, this book focuses on the engineering of a variety of functional materials for improving photoanode efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). The first two chapters describe operation principles of DSSC, charge transfer dynamics, as well as challenges and solutions for improving DSSCs. The remaining chapters focus on interfacial engineering of functional materials at the photoanode surface to create greater output efficiency. Interfacial Engineering in Functional Materials for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells begins by introducing readers to the history, configuration, components, and working principles of DSSC It then goes on to cover both nanoarchitectures and light scattering materials as photoanode. Function of compact (blocking) layer in the photoanode and of TiCl4 post-treatment in the photoanode are examined at next. Next two chapters look at photoanode function of doped semiconductors and binary semiconductor metal oxides. Other chapters consider nanocomposites, namely, plasmonic nanocomposites, carbon nanotube based nanocomposites, graphene based nanocomposites, and graphite carbon nitride based nanocompositesas photoanodes. The book: Provides comprehensive coverage of the fundamentals through the applications of DSSC Encompasses topics on various functional materials for DSSC technology Focuses on the novel design and application of materials in DSSC, to develop more efficient renewable energy sources Is useful for material scientists, engineers, physicists, and chemists interested in functional materials for the design of efficient solar cells Interfacial Engineering in Functional Materials for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells will be of great benefit to graduate students, researchers and engineers, who work in the multi-disciplinary areas of material science, engineering, physics, and chemistry.

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: Mathematical Modelling and Materials Design and Optimization presents the latest information as edited from leaders in the field. It covers advances in DSSC design, fabrication and mathematical modelling and optimization, providing a comprehensive coverage of various DSSC advances that includes different system scales, from electronic to macroscopic level, and a consolidation of the results with fundamentals. The book is extremely useful as a monograph for graduate students and researchers, but is also a comprehensive, general reference on state-of-the-art techniques in modelling, optimization and design of DSSCs. - Includes chapter contributions from worldwide leaders in the field - Offers first-principles of modelling solar cells with different system scales, from the electronic to macroscopic level - References, in a single resource, state-of-the-art techniques in modelling, optimization and design of DSSC

A guide to one of the most important aspects for affordable and highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cells Dye-sensitized solar cells have the potential to be one of the most promising photovoltaic technologies for production of renewable and clean energy. Counter Electrodes for Dye-Sensitized and Perovskite Solar Cells offers an introduction to the various types of counter electrode catalysts for dye-sensitized solar cells and perovskite solar cells, including metal and metal compounds, carbon materials, polymers, and composites. With contributions from an international panel of experts, the book contains a discussion of the design and synthesis of the catalysts, characterization and stability of the devices, as well as calculations on properties. The contributors cover a wide range of topics including information on: carbon nanotubes electrocatalysts for I-mediated dye-sensitized solar cells; Pt-loaded composite electrocatalysts for I-mediated dye-sensitized solar cells; metal contact electrodes for perovskite solar cells; and much more. The book also includes insight into the future developments in the field. This important resource Covers the various types of counter electrode catalysts and presents design strategies, synthesis methods, theoretical calculation and stability evaluation Includes information on low-cost counter electrode catalysts and commercial applications of dye-sensitized sensitized solar cells Disscuses how electrode catalysts can be applied in a range of fields, such as solar cells, fuel cells, hydrogen production, and photocatalysis Offers contributions from leading experts in the field including Anders Hagfeldt, one of the world's leading researchers in this field Written for materials scientists, solid state chemists, electrochemists, catalytic chemists, solid state physicists, and chemical industry professionals, Counter Electrodes for Dye-Sensitized and Perovskite Solar Cells is a comprehensive and authoritative guide to dye-sensitized solar cells.

This thesis describes a new approach to the construction of solar cells. Following nature's example, this approach has the goal to find a biomimetic self-assembling dye, whose aggregates can mimic the natural light-harvesting system of special photosynthetic active bacteria. The thesis investigates methods to control the self-assembly such that suitable dye aggregates are formed with high internal order and size-confinement. The dye aggregates can be implemented into a new type of solar cells, designed to combine the advantages of hybrid solar cells and solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (ss-DSSCs): dye aggregate solar cells (DASCs). This book describes the construction and first tests of a prototype for DASCs on the basis of the investigated dye aggregates. The described approach has the advantage that it will enable to build up a light-harvesting system fully synthetically in large scale in order to realize low-cost, light-weight and environmentally friendly solar cells - a worthwhile goal towards the exploitation of clean energy from sunlight.

This new book presents current research in the study of dye-sensitized solar cells and solar cell performance. Topics discussed include advanced large area thin film Si solar cells; photovoltage improvement for dye-sensitized solar cells; environmental performance of photovoltaic cells; solar simulators modified to test PV cells and improving the efficiency and stability of TiO2 and ZnO cells sensitized with low-cost organic dyes.