Effect of Cross-Linking on the Performances of Starch-Based Biopolymer as Gel Electrolyte for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Applications.

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have become a validated and economically credible competitor to the traditional solid-state junction photovoltaic devices. DSSCs based on biopolymer gel electrolyte systems offer the perspective of competitive conversion efficiencies with a very low-cost fabrication. In this paper, a new starch-based biopolymer gel electrolyte system is prepared by mixing lithium iodide and iodine with bare and citric acid cross-linked potato starches with glycerol as the plasticizing agent.

Pyrene based D-π-A architectures: synthesis, density functional theory, photophysics and electron transfer dynamics.

Pyrene derivatives show immense potential as sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). Therefore, this work focuses on the impact of π-spacers on the photophysical, electrochemical and photovoltaic properties of pyrene based D-π-A dyes, since the insertion of π-spacers is one of the doable strategies to improve the light harvesting properties of the dye. In this respect, three new pyrene based D-π-A dyes have been synthesized and characterized by H, C NMR, and elemental analyses and EI-MS spectrometry.

Enhanced photocurrent generation in bacteriorhodopsin based bio-sensitized solar cells using gel electrolyte.

High purity light sensitive photoactive protein Bacteriorhodopsin (BR) was isolated successfully via a simple two phase extraction technique (ATPS) as an alternate method for the tedious sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation procedure (SGU). Bio sensitized solar cells (BSSCs) were fabricated by the integration of BR into TiO2 (photo anode) with acetamide based gel electrolytes and platinum (photo cathode) as a counter electrode. The structural and photoelectrical behaviours of BR and BSSCs were analyzed by Atomic Force Microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, photocurrent and photovoltage (IV) measurement and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

Unravelling the effect of anchoring groups on the ground and excited state properties of pyrene using computational and spectroscopic methods.

Anchoring groups play an important role in dye sensitized solar cells (DSCs). In order to acquire a suitable anchoring group for DSCs, a deeper understanding of the effect of anchoring groups on the ground and excited state properties of the dye is significant. In this context, various anchoring group connected pyrene derivatives are successfully synthesized and well characterized by using (1)H, (13)C-NMR, FT-IR and EI-MS spectrometry.

A diminutive modification in arylamine electron donors: synthesis, photophysics and solvatochromic analysis--towards the understanding of dye sensitized solar cell performances.

An electron rich donor moiety plays an important role in dye sensitized solar cells (DSCs). In order to attain a suitable donor moiety for DSCs, a deeper understanding of the role of a donor moiety in the dye excited state is significant. In this context, different arylamine dye-based electron donor moieties (TRA, CRA and PyRA) were successfully synthesized and well characterized using (1)H-NMR, (13)C-NMR and EI-MS spectrometry.