Thesis
Fabrication and characterization of poly(4-vinylpyridine)-based all solid state dye-sensitized solar cells by initiated chemical vapor deposition
Master of Science (M.S.), Drexel University
Jun 2014
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/etd-4464
Abstract
The novel technique of initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) was used to develop an all solid state dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) using a solid polymer electrolyte. iCVD was chosen for this process due to its advantage in polymerizing within high aspect ratio porous geometries. Poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP) was synthesized via iCVD in a planar geometry on a silicon wafer to observe the effects of iCVD reaction conditions on the deposition rate and properties of the resulting thin film. P4VP-based DSSCs were fabricated in iCVD using previously described methods for other polymers. Using N-719 ruthenium dye, the DSSCs were fabricated and tested with linear sweep voltammetry. The results were compared to liquid-based DSSCs prepared using similar materials and methods without iCVD treatment. The deposition rate of iCVD has been found to have a positive, linear relationship to the ratio of monomer pressure to saturation pressure (PMono/PSat). This change is independent of how the reaction conditions were varied, as changes in pressure and temperature carried the same effect on deposition rate. The P4VP-based cells exhibited efficiencies up to 1.5% compared to the liquid-based cell efficiencies up to 3.1%, however the polymer cells had a fill factor that was up to 10% greater than that of the liquid cells. The average short-circuit current density for the P4VP-based cells was 4.14 ± 0.35 mA/cm2 compared to the liquid cell average of 10.42 ± 0.19 mA/cm2. The average open-circuit voltage for the P4VP-based cells was 0.516 ± 0.005 V compared to the liquid cell average of 0.490 ± 0.003 V.
Metrics
43 File views/ downloads
38 Record Views
Details
- Title
- Fabrication and characterization of poly(4-vinylpyridine)-based all solid state dye-sensitized solar cells by initiated chemical vapor deposition
- Creators
- Steven L. Farrell - DU
- Contributors
- Kenneth K. S. Lau (Advisor) - Drexel University (1970-)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Master of Science (M.S.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Chemical (and Biological) Engineering (1970-2026); College of Engineering (1970-2026); Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 4464; 991014632575904721