Tandem solar cell concepts are currently successfully applied in conventional pn-junction solar cells with enhanced energy conversion efficiencies of up to 40 %. Several tandem concepts have recently been introduced in the area of dye-sensitized solar cells, such as stacking of preassembled dye-sensitized solar cells, the combination of complete dye-sensitized solar cells with CdTe inorganic solar cells as well as the combination of dye-sensitized photocathodes with dye-sensitized photoanodes (pnDSSCs). The latter is of particular interest as it requires only marginally higher fabrication costs, compared to other concepts that involve stacking of complete preassembled cells, which de facto results in a doubling of manufacturing costs. In this work we will present a more detailed analysis of dye-sensitized p-type nano-structured nickel(II)oxide electrodes as a model system for dye-sensitized photocathodes. We presented a novel preparation method to fabricate nanostructured NiO electrodes based on a preformed NiO nanopowder. Critical properties such as pore-size distribution, crystallinity and internal surface area of the resulting films were optimised for their application as dye-sensitised photocathodes. Film preparation conditions were found to strongly influence the nanostructure and photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitised nanostructured NiO photocathodes. Under optimised conditions NiO based cells show photon-to-electron conversion efficiencies beyond 50%, suggesting that there are no fundamental limitations to achieving photocathodes that can match the photocurrent outputs of conventional dye-sensitized photoanodes. This work shows that there should be no fundamental limitations for the development of novel efficient dye-sensitised tandem solar cells. Further advancements will require the identification of nanostructured p-type semiconductor materials with optimised band positions for their use in conjunction with dye-sensitised TiO2 photoanodes.

• Legal notice:
  

  Copyright (c) Pielaszek Research, all rights reserved.
  The above materials, including auxiliary resources, are subject to Publisher's copyright and the Author(s) intellectual rights. Without limiting Author(s) rights under respective Copyright Transfer Agreement, no part of the above documents may be reproduced without the express written permission of Pielaszek Research, the Publisher. Express permission from the Author(s) is required to use the above materials for academic purposes, such as lectures or scientific presentations.
  In every case, proper references including Author(s) name(s) and URL of this webpage: https://science24.com/paper/15742 must be provided.