High Efficiency Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Based on New Semiconductor-Modified Nanocomposites: Preparation, Photophysical Characterization, and Photovoltaic-Cell Design

This strategic project is dedicated to the development of new nanocomposites of TiO2 and ZnO as photoanodes to be used in bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices. Their properties will be customized to increase the overall energy conversion efficiency. In particular, photon absorption will be enhanced by synthesizing low-bandgap semiconductors with sufficient charge carrier mobility for charge extraction. This will be achieved by preparing nanocomposite semiconductor materials (TiO2 and ZnO) with different metal compositions. The metals (such as Ag and Au) will be prepared in different nanostructures (nanospheres and nonorods) in order to broaden the absorption overlap with sunlight, and maximize absorption in the red and near-IR region. The latter constitutes more than 50% of the sun radiation and energy harvesting in this region will maximize the energy-electrical conversion efficiency of the dyesensitized solar cells (DSSCs). In addition to nobel metals, we will prepare a library of novel organic dyes that are based on the chalcone molecular structure which can be tuned to absorb in the red and near-IR region. The organic compounds synthesized in this project will be characterized optically, electrically, chemically, and structurally. These compounds will be used to coat the semiconductor anode as well as dissolved in the electrolyte and the overall photophysical properties will be optimized for maximum conversion efficiency. Among several photophysical properties that will be studied, electron-hole recombination process?plays a major role in determining the cell efficiency?will be investigated in real time using femtosecond laser techniques. Throughout the project, various photovoltaic cells will be fabricated to test the new materials and we will evaluate such cells as potential solar power sources. This proposal will be a major collaborative work that combines expertise from Science (Chemistry), Engineering (Petroleum and Chemical), and the Nanotechnology Center at SQU. It will benefit from several facilities that are available at SQU, including a femtosecond laser lab (Chemistry), sophisticated synthetic organic chemistry labs (Chemistry), high-level theoretical modeling (Chemistry), nanoparticles preparation and physical characterization with various techniques (Nanotechnology Center), and photovoltaic device fabrication and testing (Engineering).

This strategic project is dedicated to the development of new nanocomposites of TiO2 and ZnO as photoanodes to be used in bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices. Their properties will be customized to increase the overall energy conversion efficiency. In particular, photon absorption will be enhanced by synthesizing low-bandgap semiconductors with sufficient charge carrier mobility for charge extraction. This will be achieved by preparing nanocomposite semiconductor materials (TiO2 and ZnO) with different metal compositions. The metals (such as Ag and Au) will be prepared in different nanostructures (nanospheres and nonorods) in order to broaden the absorption overlap with sunlight, and maximize absorption in the red and near-IR region. The latter constitutes more than 50% of the sun radiation and energy harvesting in this region will maximize the energy-electrical conversion efficiency of the dyesensitized solar cells (DSSCs). In addition to nobel metals, we will prepare a library of novel organic dyes that are based on the chalcone molecular structure which can be tuned to absorb in the red and near-IR region. The organic compounds synthesized in this project will be characterized optically, electrically, chemically, and structurally. These compounds will be used to coat the semiconductor anode as well as dissolved in the electrolyte and the overall photophysical properties will be optimized for maximum conversion efficiency. Among several photophysical properties that will be studied, electron-hole recombination process?plays a major role in determining the cell efficiency?will be investigated in real time using femtosecond laser techniques. Throughout the project, various photovoltaic cells will be fabricated to test the new materials and we will evaluate such cells as potential solar power sources. This proposal will be a major collaborative work that combines expertise from Science (Chemistry), Engineering (Petroleum and Chemical), and the Nanotechnology Center at SQU. It will benefit from several facilities that are available at SQU, including a femtosecond laser lab (Chemistry), sophisticated synthetic organic chemistry labs (Chemistry), high-level theoretical modeling (Chemistry), nanoparticles preparation and physical characterization with various techniques (Nanotechnology Center), and photovoltaic device fabrication and testing (Engineering).