Abstract: Recently, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) were shown to be the highest power conversion efficiency technology of any solar cell technology when using photons from the beginning of the solar spectrum until 700 nm. Two key directions are apparent in further elevating this technology: (1) broadening the spectral window used, and (2) efficiently subdividing the spectrum further for multijunction devices which can be used in combination with many solar cell technologies. Progress toward designing optimal panchromatic organic sensitizers to use NIR photons based on physical organic concepts such as proaromaticity and cross conjugation will be discussed. Additionally, the design and realization of a series sequential multijunction dye sensitized solar cell (SSM-DSC) system for effective photon management will be discussed. Ongoing research to optimize this system based on transition metal redox shuttle design and high voltage organic dye design will be analyzed. The SSM-DSC system coupled with electrocatalysts as solar-to-fuel systems has been shown to power water splitting and CO2 reduction coupled with water oxidation from a single illuminated area without external bias.
Jared Delcamp
Assistant Professor
University of Mississippi
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry