Limits on the use of cobalt sulfide as anode of p-type dye-sensitized solar cells

Thin films of cobalt sulfide (CoS) of thickness l < 10m have been employed as anodes of p-type dye-sensitized solar cells (p-DSCs) when P1-sensitized nickel oxide (NiO) was the photoactive cathode and /I - constituted the redox mediator. In the role of counter electrode for p-DSCs, CoS was preferred over traditional platinized fluorine-doped indium oxide (Pt-FTO) due to the lower cost of the starting materials (Co salts) and the easier procedure of deposition onto large area substrates. The latter process was carried out via direct precipitation of CoS from aqueous solutions. The photoconversion efficiency (η) of the corresponding device was 0.07%. This value is about 35% less than the efficiency that is obtained with the analogous p-DSC employing the Pt-FTO anode (η = 0.11). Unlike p-DSCs based on Pt-FTO anodes, the photoelectrochemical cells employing CoS electrodes showed that this anodic material was not able to sustain the photocurrent densities generated by P1-sensitized NiO at a given photopotential. Illumination of the p-DSCs with CoS anodes and P1-sensitized NiO cathodes actually induced the reverse bias of the photoelectrochemical cell with CoS behaving like a p-type semiconductor with no degeneracy. © 2017 IOP Publishing Ltd

Photoinduced hole-transfer in semiconducting polymer/low-bandgap cyanine dye blends: evidence for unit charge separation quantum yield

Power-conversion efficiencies of organic heterojunction solar cells can be increased by using semiconducting donor-acceptor materials with complementary absorption spectra extending to the near-infrared region. Here, we used continuous wave fluorescence and absorption, as well as nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy to study the initial charge transfer step for blends of a donor poly(p-phenylenevinylene) derivative and low-band gap cyanine dyes serving as electron acceptors. Electron transfer is the dominant relaxation process after photoexcitation of the donor. Hole transfer after cyanine photoexcitation occurs with an efficiency close to unity up to dye concentrations of similar to 30 wt%. Cyanines present an efficient self-quenching mechanism of their fluorescence, and for higher dye loadings in the blend, or pure cyanine films, this process effectively reduces the hole transfer. Comparison between dye emission in an inert polystyrene matrix and the donor matrix allowed us to separate the influence of self-quenching and charge transfer mechanisms. Favorable photovoltaic bilayer performance, including high open-circuit voltages of similar to 1 V confirmed the results from optical experiments. The characteristics of solar cells using different dyes also highlighted the need for balanced adjustment of the energy levels and their offsets at the heterojunction when using low-bandgap materials, and accentuated important effects of interface interactions and solid-state packing on charge generation and transport

Introduction to celebrating Latin American talent in chemistry

In celebration of the excellence and breadth of Latin American research achievements across the chemical sciences, we are delighted to present an introduction to the themed collection, Celebrating Latin American talent in chemistry. [Image: see text

Cobalt sulfide as counter electrode in p-type dye-sensitized solar cells

We proposed a novel application of cobalt sulfide (CoS) in the configuration of transparent thin film as anode in p-type dye-sensitized solar cell (p-DSC). The anodes here considered have been prepared using a water-based method that is suitable for the large scale production of large-area electrodes. The photoactive cathodes of the p-DSC were mesoporous nickel oxide (NiO) thin films deposited via rapid discharge sintering (RDS). The NiO electrodes were sensitized with the benchmark dye erythrosine B (ERY), while the couple I-/I3- was the redox mediator. The CoS anodes showed higher electrocatalytic efficiency in comparison with the commonly used platinized FTO (Pt-FTO). This was determined by means of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) of CoS based dummy cells, with CoS showing a lower charge-transfer resistance with respect to Pt-FTO. The overall conversion efficiency of the p-DSC employing ERY-sensitized NiO as photoactive cathode and CoS anode was 0.026%, a value very close to that obtained with platinized FTO anodes (0.030 %). The external quantum efficiency spectra of the p-DSCs with CoS anodes were similar to those obtained with Pt-FTO anodes under illumination with AM 1.5 solar simulator

Glossary of terms relating to electronic, photonic and magnetic properties of polymers (IUPAC Recommendations 2021)

These recommendations are specifically for polymers and polymer systems showing a significant response to an electromagnetic field or one of its components (electric field or magnetic field), i.e., for electromagnetic-field-responsive polymer materials. The structures, processes, phenomena and quantities relating to this interdisciplinary field of materials science and technology are herein defined. Definitions are unambiguously explained and harmonized for wide acceptance by the chemistry, physics, polymer and materials science communities. A survey of typical electromagnetic-field-responsive polymers is included

MEH-PPV hypsochromic shifts in halogenated solvents induced by gamma-rays

The development of materials, devices, and methods that allow for the detection of low doses of ionizing radiation is an important research area. In this sense, conjugated polymers have been proposed as promising dosimetric materials. In particular, polymer solutions and composites have been appointed as high-sensitivity systems, but there is no satisfactory understanding of the effects induced by radiation in these systems. Further investigations are therefore necessary for the achievement of more sensitive systems. In this paper, the effect of gamma-ray radiation on different alkyl halide and toluene solutions of poly [2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethylhexyloxy)-p-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV) is reported. To this end, samples were irradiated with a Co-60 gamma-ray source at room temperature, using doses of up to 30 Gy. Chloroform, dichloromethane, bromoform, dibromomethane, a mixture of dichloromethane and diiodomethane, and toluene were employed as solvents. The MEH-PPV concentration in the solutions fell in the range of 0.005-0.225 mg mL(-1). Irradiation of the MEH-PPV alkyl halide solutions was followed by UV-vis spectroscopy measurements, and a blue shift in the main MEH-PPV UV-vis absorption peak was detected. The results revealed that the gamma-ray radiation effects depend on the nature of the solvent and on the concentration of the polymer, thereby indicating that they are associated with the formation of a radical. By selection of a suitable solvent and of an appropriate polymer concentration, a simple dosimeter can be constructed for medical applications as well as other uses. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq