Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2009, 10(11), 4575-4622; doi:10.3390/ijms10114575
Review

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Based on the Principles and Materials of Photosynthesis: Mechanisms of Suppression and Enhancement of Photocurrent and Conversion Efficiency

Yasushi Koyama 1,* email, Takeshi Miki 1 , Xiao-Feng Wang 1,2  and Hiroyoshi Nagae 3
1 Faculty of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1337, Japan 2 Graduate School of Engineering, Gifu University, Yanagido, Gifu 501-1193, Japan 3 Kobe City University of Foreign Studies, Gakuen Higashimachi, Nishi-ku, Kobe 651-2187, Japan
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 20 August 2009; in revised form: 8 September 2009 / Accepted: 23 October 2009 / Published: 27 October 2009
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Solar Cells)
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Abstract: Attempts have been made to develop dye-sensitized solar cells based on the principles and materials of photosynthesis: We first tested photosynthetic pigments, carotenoids (Cars), chlorophylls (Chls) and their derivatives, to find sensitizers showing reasonable performance (photocurrent and conversion efficiency). We then tried to introduce the principles of photosynthesis, including electron transfer and energy transfer from Car to Phe a. Also, we tried co-sensitization using the pheophorbide (Phe) a and Chl c2 pair which further enhanced the performance of the component sensitizers as follows: Jsc = 9.0 + 13.8 → 14.0 mA cm–2 and η = 3.4 + 4.6 → 5.4%.
Keywords: dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs); photosynthesis; carotenoids; chlorophylls; pheophorbides; singlet-triplet annihilation; electron transfer; energy transfer; electron injection; charge recombination; co-sensitization

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MDPI and ACS Style

Koyama, Y.; Miki, T.; Wang, X.-F.; Nagae, H. Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Based on the Principles and Materials of Photosynthesis: Mechanisms of Suppression and Enhancement of Photocurrent and Conversion Efficiency. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2009, 10, 4575-4622.

AMA Style

Koyama Y, Miki T, Wang X-F, Nagae H. Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Based on the Principles and Materials of Photosynthesis: Mechanisms of Suppression and Enhancement of Photocurrent and Conversion Efficiency. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2009; 10(11):4575-4622.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Koyama, Yasushi; Miki, Takeshi; Wang, Xiao-Feng; Nagae, Hiroyoshi. 2009. "Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Based on the Principles and Materials of Photosynthesis: Mechanisms of Suppression and Enhancement of Photocurrent and Conversion Efficiency." Int. J. Mol. Sci. 10, no. 11: 4575-4622.

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