SCALING-UP OF DYE SENSITIZED SOLAR MODULES

ABSTRACT

Among all the third generation photovoltaics (PV), dye sensitized solar cell (DSC) technology has been developed up to the commercialization level. The large interest on this hybrid PV technology is mainly related to color and transparency tuning, the possibility to use both rigid and flexible substrates, low embedded energy, superior indoor performance and diffused light operability. Moreover, easy and simple large area manufacture processes, low production CAPEX and moderate environmental costs pushed both scientific and industrial interest on this PV technology. DSC modules can be fabricated by adopting techniques and methods already developed in other industrial sectors, while only a limited partof the entire fabrication process (e.g. electrolyte injection and sealing) has been specifically developed for this PV technology.
In this chapter, we will discuss the design, fabrication and industrial manufacture of DSC modules including a discussion on stability and demonstrative installations. Unlike small area cells, module fabrication presents additional issues related to encapsulation, interconnections, layers uniformity, reverse bias stresses, panel lamination, which need to be handled and optimized to scale the device without penalizing efficiency and stability. In order to perform processes on large area, the transition from laboratory to production line can be achieved by the use of a high degree of automation. This would satisfy the repeatability and sturdiness of the realized devices, a fundamental characteristic for a mass production. Concerning stability, DSC modules need to present a lifetime ranging from 5 years (low-cost electronic applications) to 20 years (power-plant application or building integrated PV applications) to ensure a reliable use of this technology.

Jessica Barichello, Luigi Vesce, Fabio Matteocci, Enrico Lamanna, Aldo Di Carlo

DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2019.03.029

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 197 (2019) 76–83

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0927024819301485

THE EFFECT OF WATER IN CARBON-PEROVSKITE SOLAR CELLS WITH OPTIMIZED ALUMINA SPACER

 ABSTRACT

Perovskite solar cells with carbon back contact (C-PSC) represent a promising architecture that allows for a simplification of the manufacture process and a stabilization of the cell performances. In this work, we designed a fully printable C-PSC using a homemade mesoporous alumina (Al 2 O 3 ) ink. By increasing the alumina layer thickness we show that fill factor reduces, short-circuit current increases, while open circuit voltage increases until a thickness of 1.2 μm. In order to improve performances of PSCs, we investigated a water pre-treatment before perovskite deposition. We show that water pre-treatment improves pore filling, leads to a reduction of charge recombination, and improves the conversion of PbI 2 crystals into perovskite. The water pre-treatment permits to obtain an average efficiency increasing of 16% with respect to cells without water pre-treatment.

Jessica Barichello, Luigi Vesce, Fabio Matteocci, Enrico Lamanna, Aldo Di Carlo

DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2019.03.029

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 197 (2019) 76–83

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0927024819301485

FABRICATION AND MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF HIGH EFFICIENCY BLADE-COATED PEROVSKITE SOLAR MODULES

ABSTRACT

Organo-metal halide perovskite demonstrates a large potential for achieving highly efficient photovoltaic devices. The scaling up process represents one of the major challenges to exploit this technology at the industrial level. Here, the scaling up of perovskite solar modules from 5x5 cm2 to 10x10 cm2 substrate area is reported by blade coating both the CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite and the Spiro-OMeTAD layers. The sequential deposition approach is used in which both lead iodide (PbI2) deposition and the conversion step are optimized by using additives. The PbI2 solution is modified by adding methylammonium iodide (MAI) which improve perovskite crystallinity and pore filling of the mesoporous TiO2 scaffold. Optimization of the conversion step is achieved by adding a small concentration of water into the MAI-based solution, producing large cubic CH3NH3PbI3 grains. The combination of the two modifications lead to a power conversion efficiency of 14.7% on a perovskite solar module with an active area of 47 cm2.

Fabio Matteocci, Luigi Vesce, Felix Utama Kosasih, Luigi Angelo Castriotta, Stefania Cacovich, Alessandro Lorenzo Palma, Giorgio Divitini, Caterina Ducati, Aldo Di Carlo

DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b05730

Applied Materials and Interfaces 2019, vol. 11, pp. 25195-25204

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsami.9b05730

QUANTIFYING PERFORMANCE OF PERMEATION BARRIER—ENCAPSULATION SYSTEMS FOR FLEXIBLE AND GLASS‐BASED ELECTRONICS AND THEIR APPLICATION TO PEROVSKITE SOLAR CELLS

ABSTRACT

Effective transparent barrier/encapsulation systems represent a key enabling technology for large‐area electronics. Securing stability to the environment is vital. Here, the effects of architectures, application processes, and water vapor transmission rates (WVTR) of transparent flexible ultra‐high permeation barrier films (UHPBF) applied to substrates with adhesive resins are unraveled for attaining long lifetime, and compared with polyethylene terephthalate and glass barriers. How strongly performance of barrier/adhesive systems depends on barrier orientation, adhesion, manipulation, defects, and storage procedures is quantified via calcium tests. Furthermore, it is found that introducing an additional adhesion‐promoting layer on the standard UHPBF stack reduces WVTRs by a factor of 5 compared to barriers without it. Finally, barriers are used for sealing and encapsulation of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) enabling the extraction of a relationship between WVTRs of barrier/adhesive systems and degradation rates (DR) of PSCs. DR fall exponentially when WVTRs decrease from 101 to 10−3 g m−2 d−1. Outside that range any gains or losses are mitigated by tailing of the sigmoid curve relating the two parameters. Results highlight important factors which will help those developing strategies relating to encapsulation, barrier, adhesive and sealant systems and stable optoelectronic devices on glass and flexible substrates.

Sergio Castro-Hermosa, Michiel Top, Janardan Dagar, John Fahlteich, Thomas M. Brown

https://doi.org/10.1002/aelm.201800978

Advanced Electronic Materials, 14 August 2019

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aelm.201800978

TITANIUM-CARBIDE MXENES FOR WORK FUNCTION AND INTERFACE ENGINEERING IN PEROVSKITE SOLAR CELLS

ABSTRACT

To improve the efficiency of perovskite solar cells, careful device design and tailored interface engineering are needed to enhance optoelectronic properties and the charge extraction process at the selective electrodes. Here, we use two-dimensional transition metal carbides (MXene Ti3C2Tx) with various termination groups (Tx) to tune the work function (WF) of the perovskite absorber and the TiO2 electron transport layer (ETL), and to engineer the perovskite/ETL interface. Ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy measurements and density functional theory calculations show that the addition of Ti3C2Tx to halide perovskite and TiO2 layers permits the tuning of the materials’ WFs without affecting other electronic properties. Moreover, the dipole induced by the Ti3C2Tx at the perovskite/ETL interface can be used to change the band alignment between these layers. The combined action of WF tuning and interface engineering can lead to substantial performance improvements in MXene-modified perovskite solar cells, as shown by the 26% increase of power conversion efficiency and hysteresis reduction with respect to reference cells without MXene.

A. Agresti, A. Pazniak, S. Pescetelli, A. Di Vito, D. Rossi, A. Pecchia, M. Auf der Maur, A. Liedl, R. Larciprete, Denis V. Kuznetsov, D. Saranin, A. Di Carlo

Nature Materials, 09 September 2019

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41563-019-0478-1

PROSPECTIVE LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT OF THIRD-GENERATION PHOTOVOLTAICS AT THE PRE-INDUSTRIAL SCALE: A LONG-TERM SCENARIO APPROACH

ABSTRACT

The development of sustainable technologies for energy generation should necessarily undergo sustainability assessment. A well-recognized, valuable tool to accomplish this task is the life cycle assessment. In particular, prospective life cycle assessment can provide the useful methodological framework to calculate eco-profiles of third-generation photovoltaic technologies with a future-oriented perspective. In this paper, we present the life cycle assessment of a real semi-industrial production process of dye-sensitized solar modules performed by the Italian Dyepower consortium. The results demonstrate the well-performing environmental footprint of the device and its pre-industrial fabrication process that, coupled with architectural versatility and remarkable performance in low intensity and diffuse light, make this technology suitable for different niches of the energy market. This analysis also highlights challenges in the fabrication process and identifies the technological improvements, alternative materials and engineering solutions that would further improve the environmental footprint of dye sensitized solar modules.

Maria Laura Parisi, Simone Maranghi, Luigi Vesce, Adalgisa Sinicropi, Aldo Di Carlo, Riccardo Basosi

DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2020.109703

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 121 (2020)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2020.109703