Efficient dye regeneration in solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells fabricated with melt processed hole conductors

A new method for melting hole transporting materials (HTM) into mesoporous TiO2 electrodes to obtain solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) is reported. Internal coverage is determined from the efficiency of hole conductor oxidation by photo-oxidized dyes (dye regeneration), measured using transient absorption spectroscopy. High efficiency regeneration indicates complete coverage of the electrode internal surface. A high work function hole conductor (>5.2 eV) was found to give shorter regeneration lifetimes (<1 μs) and better regeneration efficiencies (>90%) than expected. Cell photocurrents were low, but improved after iodine vapor doping of the hole conductor. Counter intuitively, doping also reduced the recombination rate constant 7-fold. A solid state solar cell with power conversion efficiency of 0.075% at 1 sun is reported.

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► Melt-processable hole transporting material (HTM) for dye-sensitized solar cells.
► Reproducible method for melt infiltrating mesoporous TiO2.
► Very efficient dye regeneration confirmed complete dye/TiO2 wetting by HTM.
► Doping of solid-state organic layer by iodine vapor increases conductivity and slows recombination.
► Power conversion efficiency of 0.075% achieved with melt-processed solar cells.