Avaliação do desempenho da DSSC com a variação de parâmetros físicos

Abstract

Photovoltaic energy emerges as a low environmental impact option for the increasing demand for electricity consumption. Dye-sensitized solar cells are the subject of many studies seeking to improve their photovoltaic responses. The development of this technology depends on obtaining cells with better efficiency indexes, making studies that seek to understand and seek solutions that contribute to their improvement. This paper describes procedures for assessing the impacts of modifying three physical parameters of a dye-sensitized solar cell. Modifications were made in the semiconductor area, substrate area, and semiconductor area, varying them in two preestablished levels, performing triplicate tests. After performing photovoltaic tests through a solar simulator, the curves of current density versus voltage were obtained, from which the values of open-circuit voltage and short circuit current density were collected. Fill factor and cell efficiency values were calculated. Tables were organized and, with the help of 2k factorial design, the effects of alteration of each parameter and their interactions on the values of open-circuit voltage, current density, fill factor and cell efficiency were analyzed. The experiment turned out to be productive, showing that changing the physical parameters of a dye-sensitized solar cell may be significant for photovoltaic performance. The modification promoted in the semiconductor, adding 10% of titanium dioxide, was expressively beneficial in all evaluated photovoltaic parameters. We highlight the efficiency gains with cells 5, 6, 7 and 8, which were respectively 163.02%, 142.53%, 226.58%, and 227.65% when compared, consecutively, to models 1, 2, 3 and 4. Following the same comparison logic, short circuit current density gains were 81.35%, 62.40%, 111.41% and 117.32%, open circuit voltage gains. 25.68%, 20.60%, 40.43% and 28.14% and, finally, the fill factor obtained gains of 17.32%, 26.08%, 8.82% and 17.64%. The results of scanning electron microscopy revealed that a more homogeneous semiconductor layer was obtained with this modification, resulting in the described photovoltaic gains.