Novel materials for dye sensitised solar cells

Solar energy is the most attractive renwable energy source. Dye sensitised solar cells (DSSCs) are one type of device that can harvest this energy, offering advantages of low materials cost and ease of fabrication when compared to alternative devices. This project aims to develop efficient, flexiblee DSSCs by using polymer substrates in place of glass. Novel surface modification approaches and microwave processing will be employed to fabricate the nanporous semiconductor electrodes on polymer substrates and to improve cell efficiency. Improved dyes and new electrolyte systems, such as plastic crystals, will be incorporated into the cell to improve efficiency, durability and stability