Boya uyarımlı güneş pillerinin üretimi ve üretim parametrelerinin optimizasyonu

Basically, a solar cell is a kind of device that converts light energy into electrical energy through energization of electrons. They are broadly classified in three generations. First-generation solar cells are well-known, silicon-based photovoltaic cells that mainly dominates the solar cell market. This group contains monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar cells. While first generation solar cells have high efficiency, they have some disadvantages such as high manufacturing costs and requirement for well controlled production facilities. Against disadvantages of first generation solar cell, second generation solar cells were developed which are also considered as thin film solar cells. Thin film solar cells have cheaper manufacturing techniques. On the other hand they have lower efficiency than silicon-based solar cells have. Thin film solar cells include modified transition metals such as amorphous silicon (a-Si), Cd–Te, Ga–As and CIGS. It is important to note that, even though these two group of solar cells have some advantageous sides, the raw materials used in manufacturing process of solar cells have high cost or hazardous to environment and human health. Hence further studies on environmentally friendly, cheaper and high efficiency solar cells resulted with third generation solar cells. This group is also called as excitonic solar cells. The excitonic solar cells have different kinds of operation principals and they can also be grouped into nanocrystalline, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) and organic/polymer solar cells. Of these, DSCs have commercial application but it is not in mature state yet. DSCs show great promise as an inexpensive alternative to conventional p–n junction solar cells. Highly efficient photovoltaic conversions, combined with ease of manufacturing and low production costs, make the DSC technology an attractive approach for large-scale solar energy conversion. These cells are expected to be the next generation of solar cells because of the lower loads to environment during manufacturing. Solidification of DSC was one of the crucial research items. While photovoltaic applications have been dominated by solid-state junction devices, usually made from crystalline or amorphous silicon and profiting from the experience and material availability resulting from the semiconductor industry, there is an increasing awareness of the possible advantages of devices based on mesoscopic inorganic or organic semiconductors commonly referred to as "bulk" junctions because of their interconnected three-dimensional structure. DSCs are basically formed from nanocrystalline inorganic oxides, ionic liquids, and organic hole conductor or conducting polymer devices. Energy harvesting is accomplished by the optical absorption and charge separation processes after the association of a sensitizer as a light absorbing material with a wide-band-gap semiconductor of mesoporous or nanocrystalline morphology. They do not require energy-intensive high temperature and high-vacuum processes, and can be compatible with flexible substrates, and a variety of presentations and appearances which might facilitate market entry, both for domestic devices and in architectural or decorative applications. It is one of the expected results that the liquid electrolyte may inhibit the stability of DSCs, which led many studies for producing solid state DSCs. On the other hand in order to produce solid state Dye-Sensitized Solar cell (ssDSC) in commercial scale, it is clear that high temperature processing is another obstacle. Thereby, a few studies appeared on low temperature processed-ssDSCs so far. Especially, after coating of TiO2 paste sintering process is still followed to obtain mesoscopic porous structure. Commercialization step is looking for some intriguing properties such as flexibility, ease of integration, stability and cost effectiveness. Hence, manufacturing flexible ssDSCs can be realized by meeting the need of using flexible, transparent and conductive electrodes in ssDSCs' structure. In that point, polymeric based transparent materials having durability against high temperature suggested as electrode. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and Polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) are current candidates for the electrode of commercial ssDSCs due to durability against temperature up to 150 oC. Thus, in this thesis study, manufacturing ssDSCs at low temperatures (less than 150 oC) was set forth as the main research question. Production of fully printable solid state dye sensitized solar cell (ssDSC) was aimed to produce with moderate efficiency. Besides that, a facile way was investigated producing ssDSC for industrial mass production. In this regard, doctor blade and screen printing technologies were compared to produce ssDSCs. Screen printing is a well-known application from local textile industry for coloration of textile goods, which is basically a kind of application of stenciling. Many experiments were ran with the stencils by defined shapes. Prepared ink was transferred through the holes onto conductive glass to be able to form mesoporous metal oxide layers. Sensitization of metal oxide layers was performed by photoactive perovskite structures. Methyl ammonium lead iodide was synthesized successfully via reaction of methyl amine, hydroiodic acid. Then, lead iodide was also obtained by reaction of lead nitrate and potassium iodide. As a counter electrode, carbon-based materials was deposited on Zirconia layer acting as a spacer layer. Subsequently, characterization and analysis of ssDSCs produced in this thesis study was performed by using AM1,5G solar simulator. Formation of monolithic ssDSC using screen printing technology was resulted in solar cells in lab scale showed higher efficiency compared to the one produced via doctor blading. Last of all, ssDSC structure and its components was manufactured successfully by using screen printing and doctor blade techniques enabling large area deposition. Hence, it can be considered as an important step to realize DSCs production in industrial scale.