PHOTOVOLTAIC DYE CELL HAVING AN IMPROVED COUNTER-ELECTRODE

摘要

A photovoltaic dye cell for converting a light source into electricity, including: (a) a housing including an at least partially transparent cell wall; (b) an electrolyte, disposed within the cell wall, containing an iodine based redox species; (c) an at least partially transparent conductive coating disposed on an interior surface of the cell wall; (d) an anode disposed on the conductive coating, and including: (i) a porous titania film adapted to make intimate contact with the redox species, and (ii) a dye, absorbed on a surface of the titania film, the dye and film adapted to convert photons to electrons; (e) a cathode disposed substantially opposite the anode, and including at least one flexible conductive carbon sheet adapted to transfer electrons to a current collection component associated with the cathode, the conductive carbon sheet disposed in electrolytic communication, via the electrolyte, with the porous titania film, wherein the conductive carbon sheet forms a discrete layer with respect to the titania film of the anode, and conforms to a contour of the film.