JP2012155927A - Dye sensitized solar cell - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a dye sensitized solar cell which is mainly used for power sources of various electronic equipment, preventing decrease in light transmittance and having high conversion efficiency.SOLUTION: A plurality of conductive thin metal wires 16, in each of which a titania layer 17 absorbing a dye is formed on outer periphery thereof, are provided in a gap between an upper light transmissive substrate 11 and a lower substrate 12 having an upper face on which a lower conductive layer 13 is formed. Thus, electrons of the dye in the titania layer 17 in the outer periphery of each of the conductive thin metal wires 16 can be excited in a large light reception area with light passing through only the upper substrate 11 and having a transmittance of 90% or higher. Thus can be obtained a dye sensitized solar cell capable of performing power generation at a favorable conversion efficiency from light to electric power of around 10-15%.

Description

  The present invention relates to a dye-sensitized solar cell mainly used as a power source for various electronic devices.

  In recent years, as various electronic devices, especially portable electronic devices such as mobile phones and music players, have become more sophisticated and diversified, various batteries used as power sources are required to be usable for a long time. It has been.

  Such a conventional dye-sensitized solar cell will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG.

  These drawings are partially enlarged in size for easy understanding of the configuration.

  FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional dye-sensitized solar cell, and FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view thereof. In FIG. A light transmissive upper conductive layer 2 such as tin is formed, and a titania layer 3 made of titanium oxide adsorbing a ruthenium-based or coumarin-based dye is provided on the lower surface of the upper conductive layer 2.

  Reference numeral 4 denotes a light-transmitting lower substrate similar to the upper substrate 1, and a light-transmitting lower conductive layer 5 in which platinum, carbon, or the like is laminated on indium tin oxide or the like on the upper surface by a sputtering method or the like. Is formed.

  A spacer 6 made of an insulating resin having a substantially frame shape is formed on the outer peripheral edge of the upper surface of the upper substrate 1 and the upper surface of the lower substrate 4, and the outer periphery of the upper substrate 1 and the lower substrate 4 is bonded by the spacer 6. The upper substrate 1 and the lower substrate 4 face each other with a predetermined gap.

  Further, reference numeral 7 denotes a redox electrolyte such as an iodine ion solution. The electrolyte 7 is filled in a gap between the titania layer 3 and the lower conductive layer 5 to constitute a dye-sensitized solar cell.

  The dye-sensitized solar cell thus configured is mounted on the surface of an electronic device such as a mobile phone, a music player, or a remote control transmitter with the upper substrate 1 as the upper surface, and the upper conductive layer 2 and the lower conductive layer. The electrode portions 2A and 5A at the end of the layer 5 are electrically connected to an electronic circuit (not shown) of the device by a connector, a wiring board (not shown) or the like.

  In the above configuration, when sunlight, light from a fluorescent lamp, or the like is incident on the upper substrate 1, it excites electrons of the dye of the titania layer 3 through the upper conductive layer 2, and the excited electrons pass through the titanium oxide. While flowing to the conductive layer 2, electrons are supplied from the lower conductive layer 5 to the dye of the titania layer 3 through ions in the electrolytic solution 7, thereby generating power.

  In addition, the electric power generated by this light is supplied from the dye-sensitized solar cell to the electronic circuit of the device through the electrode portions 2A and 5A, thereby switching various operations and functions of the device.

  That is, light from above passes through the light-transmissive upper substrate 1 and the upper conductive layer 2, and the electrons of the dye adsorbed on the titanium oxide of the titania layer 3 are excited by this light, so that the dye-sensitized solar The battery is configured to generate electricity.

  As prior art document information related to the invention of this application, for example, Patent Document 1 is known.

JP 2003-59545 A

  However, in the conventional dye-sensitized solar cell, since the upper conductive layer 2 is formed on the lower surface of the upper substrate 1 but is light transmissive, light from above passes through the upper conductive layer 2, The light transmittance is as low as about 75 to 78%, and the electrons of the dye of the titania layer 3 are excited by this weak light to generate power, so that the conversion efficiency from light to power is also 6 to There was a problem that it would be as small as 10%.

  The present invention solves such a conventional problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a dye-sensitized solar cell that prevents a decrease in light transmittance and has good conversion efficiency.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a plurality of light-transmitting upper substrates and a titania layer having a dye adsorbed on the outer periphery in a gap between the lower substrate having a lower conductive layer formed on the upper surface. A dye-sensitized solar cell is formed by disposing a conductive metal fine wire, and the dye of the titania layer on the outer periphery of the conductive metal fine wire has a large light receiving area by light having a transmittance of 90% or more passing through only the upper substrate. Since it is possible to excite the electrons, it has the effect of obtaining a dye-sensitized solar cell capable of generating power with good conversion efficiency with a conversion efficiency from light to electric power of around 10 to 15%. It is.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an advantageous effect of preventing a decrease in light transmittance and realizing a dye-sensitized solar cell with good conversion efficiency.

Sectional drawing of the dye-sensitized solar cell by one embodiment of this invention Exploded perspective view Partial perspective view Cross-sectional view of conventional dye-sensitized solar cell Exploded perspective view

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  These drawings are partially enlarged in size for easy understanding of the configuration.

(Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a dye-sensitized solar cell according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view thereof, in which 11 is a light-transmitting upper substrate, such as polyester, polycarbonate, polyolefin, etc. Are formed into a film shape or a thin plate shape with glass, acrylic or the like.

  Reference numeral 12 denotes a light-transmitting lower substrate similar to the upper substrate 11. On the upper surface, platinum, carbon, or the like is laminated on indium tin oxide or tin oxide by sputtering or the like. A conductive layer 13 is formed.

  A spacer 14 made of an insulating resin such as polyester or epoxy is formed on the outer peripheral inner edges of the lower surface of the upper substrate 11 and the upper surface of the lower substrate 12. The spacer 14 allows the upper substrate 11 and the lower substrate 12 to be separated from each other. The outer periphery is bonded, and the upper substrate 11 and the lower substrate 12 face each other with a predetermined gap.

  Further, 15 is a redox electrolyte such as an iodine ion solution, and the electrolyte 15 is filled in a gap between the upper substrate 11 and the lower substrate 12.

  Reference numeral 16 denotes a conductive metal thin wire such as copper or silver having a diameter of about 0.01 to 1 mm. As shown in the partial perspective view of FIG. 3, titanium oxide having ruthenium or coumarin dye adsorbed on its outer periphery. A titania layer 17 formed from is provided.

  Further, a plurality of conductive metal wires 16 having a titania layer 17 formed on the outer periphery thereof are connected in a substantially comb-like shape at a predetermined interval as shown in FIG. 2, and this is connected between the upper substrate 11 and the lower substrate 12. A dye-sensitized solar cell is formed in the space so as to face the lower conductive layer 13.

  The dye-sensitized solar cell configured as described above is mounted on the surface of an electronic device such as a mobile phone, a music player, or a remote control transmitter with the upper substrate 11 as an upper surface, and the conductive metal thin wire 16 and the lower conductive layer. The electrode portions 16A and 13A at the end of the layer 13 are electrically connected to an electronic circuit (not shown) of the device by a connector, a wiring board (not shown) or the like.

  In the above configuration, when sunlight or light from a fluorescent lamp enters the upper substrate 11, it passes through the upper substrate 11 to excite electrons of the dyes of the titania layer 17 on the outer periphery of the plurality of conductive metal wires 16. Electrons flow to the conductive metal fine wire 16 through titanium oxide, and electrons are supplied from the lower conductive layer 13 to the dye of the titania layer 17 through ions in the electrolytic solution 15 to generate power.

  In addition, the electric power generated by this light is supplied from the dye-sensitized solar cell to the electronic circuit of the device through the electrode portions 16A and 13A, whereby various operations and functions of the device are switched.

  That is, light from above passes through the light-transmitting upper substrate 11, and the electrons of the dye adsorbed on the titanium oxide in the titania layer 17 formed on the outer periphery of the plurality of thin conductive metal wires 16 are excited by this light. Thus, the dye-sensitized solar cell is configured to generate power.

  At this time, since the light from above passes only through the upper substrate 11 and enters the gap, the dye of the titania layer 17 on the outer periphery of the plurality of conductive metal wires 16 is irradiated with light having a high transmittance of 90% or more. The electrons are excited.

  That is, since only the upper substrate 11 is disposed above the plurality of titania layers 17 disposed in the air gap, the light enters the air gap with almost no loss of brightness. A plurality of titania layers 17 can receive light.

  In addition, since the plurality of titania layers 17 on the outer periphery of the conductive metal thin wires 16 connected in a substantially comb-like shape at a predetermined interval are formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, not only the upper surface but also both side surfaces of the outer periphery. With the added large light receiving area, the light received in the gap is received and electricity is generated.

  That is, each titania layer 17 is elongated, but each has a wide light receiving range. Therefore, the plurality of titania layers 17 as a whole can receive light in a large area, and the conversion efficiency from light to power is 10-15. It is possible to generate electricity with good conversion efficiency of around%.

  Further, since a plurality of titania layers 17 for generating power are formed on the outer periphery of the thin conductive metal wire 16 having a diameter of about 0.01 to 1 mm, when films are used for the upper substrate 11 and the lower substrate 12, dye increase Even when a slight bending is applied to the solar cell, the entire structure can be elastically deformed relatively easily and has excellent flexibility.

  In the above description, the structure in which the lower conductive layer 13 on the lower surface in addition to the upper surface is formed to be light transmissive has been described. However, the lower conductive layer 13 is formed by laminating platinum or carbon on nickel or the like. Thus, the dye-sensitized solar cell can be formed at a lower cost and the flexibility can be further improved.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the titania layer 17 having the dye adsorbed on the outer periphery is formed in the gap between the light transmissive upper substrate 11 and the lower substrate 12 having the lower conductive layer 13 formed on the upper surface. By disposing the plurality of conductive metal wires 16, the electrons of the dye of the titania layer 17 on the outer periphery of the conductive metal wires 16 with a large light receiving area by light having a transmittance of 90% or more passing through only the upper substrate 11. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a dye-sensitized solar cell capable of generating electric power with good conversion efficiency, with a conversion efficiency from light to electric power of around 10 to 15%.

  The dye-sensitized solar cell according to the present invention has an advantageous effect that it can prevent a decrease in light transmittance and obtain a good conversion efficiency, and is mainly useful as a power source for various electronic devices. .

11 Upper substrate 12 Lower substrate 13 Lower conductive layer 13A, 16A Electrode portion 14 Spacer 15 Electrolytic solution 16 Conductive metal wire 17 Titania layer

Claims (1)

A light transmissive upper substrate, a lower substrate facing the upper substrate with a predetermined gap, spacers formed on the outer peripheral edge of the lower surface of the upper substrate and the upper surface of the lower substrate, and the gap filled A dye-sensitized solar cell comprising a plurality of conductive metal wires made of an electrolytic solution and provided with a lower conductive layer on the upper surface of the lower substrate and having a titania layer having a dye adsorbed on the outer periphery, disposed in the gap.

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