The dye‐sensitized solar cells fabricated using core‐shell upconverting nanoparticles show enhancements of ~12.5% (sensitized with black/ N749 dye) in overall power conversion efficiency under AM 1. 5G illumination. The results conclusively ascertain that the augmentation in efficiency is primarily due to near infrared to visible spectrum modification by the luminescent upconversion nanoparticles. Upconverting NaYF 4 :Yb 3+ ,Er 3+ / NaYF 4 core‐shell ( CS ) nanoparticles ( NPs ) were synthesized by thermal decomposition of lanthanide trifluoroacetate precursors and mixed with TiO 2 NPs to fabricate dye‐sensitized solar cells ( DSSCs ). The CS geometry effectively prevents the capture of electrons because of the surface states and improves photo‐emission. The as‐synthesized CS NPs show upconversion ( UC ) luminescence, converting near infrared (NIR) light into visible light (450–700 nm), making the photon absorption by the ruthenium‐based dyes (which have little or no absorption in the NIR region) possible. The champion DSSCs fabricated using CS UC NPs (average size = 25 nm) show enhancements of ~12.5% (sensitized with black/ N749 dye) and of ~5.5% (sensitized with N719 dye) in overall power conversion efficiency under AM 1. 5G illumination. This variation in the enhancement of the DSSC efficiencies for black and N719 dyes is attributed to the difference in the extinction coefficient and the absorption wavelength range of dyes. Incident photon‐to‐current conversion efficiency measurements also evidently showed the photocurrent enhancement in the NIR region of the spectrum because of the UC effect. The results prove that the augmentation in efficiency is primarily due to NIR to visible spectrum modification by the fluorescent UC NPs . Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


    Access

    Access via TIB

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Enhancement of dye sensitized solar cell efficiency via incorporation of upconverting phosphor nanoparticles as spectral converters



    Published in:

    Publication date :

    2016




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English



    Classification :

    BKL:    53.36 Energiedirektumwandler, elektrische Energiespeicher



    Enhancing solar cell efficiency by using spectral converters

    van Sark, W.G.J.H.M. | Online Contents | 2005


    Improving the efficiency of solar cells by upconverting sunlight using field enhancement from optimized nano structures

    Balling, P. / Christiansen, J. / Christiansen, R.E. et al. | British Library Online Contents | 2018


    Improving the efficiency of solar cells by upconverting sunlight using field enhancement from optimized nano structures

    Balling, P. / Christiansen, J. / Christiansen, R.E. et al. | British Library Online Contents | 2018



    Radiation-to-heat conversion efficiency in SrF2:Yb3+/Er3+ upconverting nanoparticles

    Balabhadra, Sangeetha / Debasu, Mengistie L. / Brites, Carlos D.S. et al. | British Library Online Contents | 2018