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Examining architectures of photoanode–photovoltaic tandem cells for solar water splitting

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

Jeremie Brillet ,
Maurin Cornuz ,
Florian Le Formal ,
Jun-Ho Yum ,
Michael Grätzel  and
Kevin Sivula
Kevin Sivula*
Affiliation:
Institut des sciences et ingénierie chimiques, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: kevin.sivula@epfl.ch
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Abstract

Given the limitations of the materials available for photoelectrochemical water splitting, a multiphoton (tandem) approach is required to convert solar energy into hydrogen efficiently and durably. Here we investigate a promising system consisting of a hematite photoanode in combination with dye-sensitized solar cells with newly developed organic dyes, such as the squaraine dye, which permit new configurations of this tandem system. Three configurations were investigated: two side-by-side dye cells behind a semitransparent hematite photoanode, two semitransparent dye sensitized solar cells (DSCs) in front of the hematite, and a trilevel hematite/DSC/DSC architecture. Based on the current-voltage curves of state-of-the-art devices made in our laboratories, we found the trilevel tandem architecture (hematite/SQ1 dye/N749 dye) produces the highest operating current density and thus the highest expected solar-to-hydrogen efficiency (1.36% compared with 1.16% with the standard back DSC case and 0.76% for the front DSC case). Further investigation into the wavelength-dependent quantum efficiency of each component revealed that in each case photons lost as a result of scattering and reflection reduce the performance from the expected 3.3% based on the nanostructured hematite photoanodes. We further suggest avenues for the improvement of each configuration from both the DSC and the photoanode parts.

Keywords

OxidePhotovoltaicSemiconducting
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 25 , Issue 1: Photocatalysis for Energy and Environmental Sustainability , January 2010 , pp. 17 - 24
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2010

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