Solar Cell Substrate Segmentation for Resistive Loss Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dye-sensitized solar cells face challenges with high electrical resistive losses due to the use of conducting media, which are expensive and can lead to mechanical fragility when the substrate is made thinner for reduced resistance.
Innovation Solution
A solar cell design that minimizes the use of conducting medium by incorporating an overlapping region of conducting and catalytic particles within the substrate, allowing for partial filling of the substrate with conducting medium, reducing resistive losses and maintaining mechanical stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the substrate is made thinner to reduce electrical resistive losses, then electrical efficiency is improved, but mechanical stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate is divided into two distinct portions: a conducting portion containing conducting and catalytic particles for efficient charge transport, and an insulating portion for mechanical support and electrical isolation. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific function, resolving the contradiction between electrical efficiency and mechanical stability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the substrate are assigned different properties: the conducting portion has high electrical conductivity for minimal resistive losses, while the insulating portion provides mechanical strength and electrical isolation. This local differentiation of properties allows the substrate to simultaneously achieve both electrical efficiency and mechanical stability.
2Loss of energy
If more conducting medium is used to reduce electrical resistive losses, then electrical efficiency is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conducting medium is extracted from the entire substrate and concentrated only in the conducting portion where it is needed for charge transport. This extraction eliminates unnecessary conducting medium from the insulating portion, reducing both cost and material waste while maintaining electrical efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of filling the entire substrate with conducting medium, the invention applies conducting medium partially and selectively only to the conducting portion. This partial action achieves the necessary electrical conductivity for efficient operation while significantly reducing the quantity and cost of conducting medium required.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design reduces electrical resistive losses and lowers costs by using less conducting medium, enabling the use of more expensive mediums for better efficiency without increasing costs, while maintaining mechanical strength through a thicker substrate.
Implementation Method 1
a conducting medium for transporting charges between the conducting portion and the light absorbing layer
Implementation Method 2
The porous insulation substrate is electrically insulating. Both conducting layers 2, 3 comprises particles that are large enough to not penetrate the pores of the porous substrate. The porous insulation substrate 4 serves the function of separating the conducting layers physically and electrically in order to avoid direct electrical short circuit between the conducting layers 2, 3.
Implementation Method 3
Sunlight is harvested by the dye, producing photo-excited electrons that are injected into the conduction band of the metal oxide particles
Implementation Method 4
A dye-sensitized solar cell has a light absorbing layer comprising a porous metal oxide, for example a few μm thick porous TiO2 electrode layer, dyed by adsorbing dye molecules
Data Source
AI summary
A solar cell includes a porous light absorbing layer, a first porous conducting layer, a second conducting layer, a porous substrate between the conducting layers, the porous substrate includes a catalytic conducting portion in electrical contact with the second conducting layer and an insulating portion between the first porous conducting layer and the conducting portion, and a conducting medium for transporting charges between the conducting portion and the light absorbing layer. The conducting medium is located in the light absorbing layer, the first porous conducting layer, and partly the porous substrate so that the insulating portion and a first part of the conducting portion has the conducting medium and a second part of the conducting portion is free of conducting medium.