Sodium Hydroxide Pretreatment as an Effective Approach to Reduce the Dye/Holes Recombination Reaction in P-Type DSCs

Matteo Bonomo; Nadia Barbero; Gaia Naponiello; Marco Giordano; Danilo Dini; Claudia Barolo

doi:10.3389/fchem.2019.00099

Sodium Hydroxide Pretreatment as an Effective Approach to Reduce the Dye/Holes Recombination Reaction in P-Type DSCs

Front Chem. 2019 Feb 27:7:99. doi: 10.3389/fchem.2019.00099. eCollection 2019.

Authors

Matteo Bonomo^{1

2}, Nadia Barbero², Gaia Naponiello¹, Marco Giordano², Danilo Dini¹, Claudia Barolo^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy.
² Department of Chemistry and NIS Interdepartmental Centre and INSTM Reference Centre, University of Turin, Torino, Italy.
³ ICxT Interdepartmental Centre, Torino, Italy.

Abstract

We report the synthesis of a novel squaraine dye (VG21-C12) and investigate its behavior as p-type sensitizer for p-type Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells. The results are compared with O4-C12, a well-known sensitizer for p-DSC, and sodium hydroxide pretreatment is described as an effective approach to reduce the dye/holes recombination. Various variable investigation such as dipping time, dye loading, photocurrent, and resulting cell efficiency are also reported. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was utilized for investigating charge transport properties of the different photoelectrodes and the recombination phenomena that occur at the (un)modified electrode/electrolyte interface.

Keywords: NIR Absorption; NaOH pretreatment; electrochemical impedance spectroscopy; p-type dye-sensitized solar cells; recombination reaction; squaraines.