Spray Deposition of Silver Nanowire Electrodes for Semitransparent Solid‐State Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

Abstract

Transparent top electrodes for solid‐state dye‐sensitized solar cells (ssDSCs) allow for fabrication of mechanically stacked ssDSC tandems, partially transparent ssDSCs for building integration, and ssDSCs on metal foil substrates. A solution‐processed, highly transparent, conductive electrode based on PEDOT:PSS [poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate)] and spray‐deposited silver nanowires (Ag NWs) is developed as an effective top contact for ssDSCs. The electrode is solution‐deposited using conditions and solvents that do not damage or dissolve the underlying ssDSC and achieves high performance: a peak transmittance of nearly 93% at a sheet resistance of 18 Ω/square – all without any annealing that would harm the ssDSC. The role of the PEDOT:PSS in the electrode is twofold: it ensures ohmic contact between the ssDSC 2,2′,7,7′‐tetrakis‐(N,N‐di‐p‐methoxyphenylamine)9,9′‐spirobifluorene (Spiro‐OMeTAD) overlayer and the silver nanowires and it decreases the series resistance of the device. Semitransparent ssDSCs with D35 dye fabricated using this Ag NW/PEDOT:PSS transparent electrode show power conversion efficiencies of 3.6%, nearly as high as a reference device using an evaporated silver electrode (3.7%). In addition, the semitransparent ssDSC shows high transmission between 700–1100 nm, a necessity for use in efficient tandem devices. Such an electrode, in combination with efficient ssDSCs or hybrid perovskite‐sensitized solar cells, can allow for the fabrication of efficient, cost‐effective tandem photovoltaics.

Fully printed organic tandem solar cells using solution-processed silver nanowires and opaque silver as charge collecting electrodes

“…Solutionprocessed AgNWs have recently attracted substantial attention as a transparent electrode for various organic as well as inorganic photovoltaic devices. [32][33][34][35][36][37][38] The outstanding optoelectronic properties and successful device demonstrations encourage us to further exploit the application of AgNWs as a window electrode for our tandem devices. As shown in Fig.…”

High-performance semitransparent perovskite solar cells with solution-processed silver nanowires as top electrodes

“…S3 †), probably due to the fact that the non-ohmic contact between the PC 60 BM and AgNWs is presenting an energy barrier for charge extraction. 29 Recently, we have found that ZnO nanoparticles as an electron transport layer in organic solar cells showed excellent compatibility with thermally evaporated Ag as well as with solution-processed AgNW top electrodes (Fig. S4 †).…”

“…22,23 The use of AgNWs as bottom and/or top transparent electrodes has recently been demonstrated in polymer solar cells, dyesensitized solar cells, copper indium gallium diselenide and silicon solar cells. [22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29] However, the sensitivity to the surface that the perovskite crystals grow on and the incompatibility between the electrode and the adjacent interface layers have hindered the progress of the implementation of liquid-phase coated electrodes for perovskite solar cells. 30 In this work, through rational interface engineering in combination with judicious selection of deposition techniques, we demonstrate for the first time facile solution processing of AgNWs as top electrodes for efficient semitransparent perovskite solar cells.…”

Ultrahigh electrical conductivity in solution-sheared polymeric transparent films

“…In recent years there have been a number of emerging TC materials studied in the literature ranging from metal nanowires (Au, Ag, Cu) (8)(9)(10)(11), conducting carbon allotropes (graphene, carbon nanotubes) (12)(13)(14)(15), conducting polymers (16,17), and other hybrid approaches (18). Recent attempts using metal nanotroughs by Wu et al have resulted in superior optoelectronic properties with a sheet resistance of 2 Ω/□ at 90% transmission (19).…”