JP2006339086A - Dye-sensitized solar cell - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a dye-sensitized solar cell capable of obtaining superior design properties, even when a sealing material can be visually identified. <P>SOLUTION: The dye-sensitized solar cell 10 with superior design properties can be obtained, even when a sealing material 5 can be identified visually, as the sealing material 5 can be made visible, at least in a color tone other than the white color from the incident side α of sunlight; and since the color tone is set according to the design properties of the dye-sensitized solar cell 10 with a view toward making a color tone, other than the white color, visible. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a dye-sensitized solar cell excellent in design properties.

  The dye-sensitized solar cell can obtain a colorful and excellent design solar cell by using sensitizing dyes and electrolytes having various colors. On the other hand, since an electrolyte for transporting electric charge is generally used in a liquid state, a sealing material is used to prevent evaporation and leakage of the electrolyte, and it has one or more (meth) acrylate groups as the sealing material. An isoprene polymer as a main component (for example, Patent Document 1), an isobutylene polymer containing at least one alkenyl group capable of hydroxylation in the molecule, organohydrogenpolysiloxane, hydroxylation catalyst and silane The thing using the composition which has a coupling agent as a main component (for example, patent document 2) etc. is disclosed.

JP 2004-311036 A JP 2004-95248 A

  However, conventional sealing materials are colorless and transparent, or opaque or semi-transparent white or similar tones, and the electrode substrate and the photoelectrode layer are transparent so that the electrolyte and the sealing material can be seen through or sealed. When the sealing material is exposed because the sealing material is exposed, since the sealing material has the above-described color tone, there may be an impression that the design is rugged and inferior in design. Moreover, when trying to obtain a colorful solar cell by the color tone of a sensitizing dye or electrolyte solution, there existed a possibility that the whole impression might be impaired on the external appearance by the color tone of a sealing material.

  The present invention has been made in view of the problems as described above, and is intended to provide a dye-sensitized solar cell capable of obtaining excellent design properties even when the sealing material is visible. It is.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is configured as follows. That is, the dye-sensitized solar cell according to the present invention is provided on a transparent electrode substrate provided with a base material and a conductive film, and the conductive film, and adsorbs the sensitizing dye to the porous semiconductor material. A photoelectrode layer, an electrolyte layer that is provided between the photoelectrode layer and the counter electrode, and moves the charge; a sealing material that seals the electrolyte layer between the electrode substrate and the counter electrode; The sealing material is made visible at least from the side on which sunlight enters, and the sealing material is made visible in a color tone other than white.

  According to the dye-sensitized solar cell according to the present invention, the sealing material is made to be visually recognized in a color tone other than white at least from the side on which sunlight is incident, and an object is to make the color tone other than white visible. By setting the color tone according to the design of the dye-sensitized solar cell, it is possible to obtain a dye-sensitized solar cell with excellent design even when the sealing material is visible it can.

  Moreover, in the dye-sensitized solar cell according to claim 1, if the color tone other than the white color is approximate to the color tone other than the arrangement of the sealing material on the side on which sunlight is incident, From the appearance, the color tone of the sealing material and the other parts has a continuous feeling, and even when they are arranged in parallel, it is possible to reduce the uncomfortable feeling caused by the sealing material.

  In the dye-sensitized solar cell according to claim 1 or 2, if the color tone other than white is colored by a sealing material formed using a colored forming composition, the sealing material It is preferable that coloration to colors other than white can be performed at the same time by the formation of, so that the work related to formation can be simplified.

  According to the dye-sensitized solar cell according to the present invention, the sealing material is visually recognized in a color tone other than white from at least the side on which sunlight is incident, so that the sealing material is visually recognized as white. It is possible to obtain a dye-sensitized solar cell having an excellent design property even when the sealing material is visible by setting according to the design property of the solar cell intended for a color tone other than it can.

  BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The best embodiment according to the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a dye-sensitized solar cell according to the present invention. In the dye-sensitized solar cell 10, a conductive film 12 is provided on the lower surface of a base material 11 to form an electrode substrate 1, and a sensitizing dye is supported on a porous semiconductor material on the lower surface of the conductive film 12. The photoelectrode layer 2 is formed, the counter electrode 4 is provided on the upper surface of the counter substrate 41, and the counter substrate 42 is formed. The photoelectrode layer 2 and the counter electrode 4 are disposed to face each other, and an electrolyte is provided therebetween. The electrolyte layer 3 which is an electrolyte solution containing is provided and formed. The electrode substrate 1 and the counter substrate 42 are disposed so as to overlap each other, and the electrode substrate 1 protrudes from the left end and the counter substrate 42 protrudes from the right end, so that the conductive coating 12 and the counter electrode 4 are externally provided. Thus, a plurality of dye-sensitized solar cells 10 can be connected in parallel.

  Sealing that is filled between the electrode substrate 1 and the counter electrode 4 in the vicinity of both ends of the portion where the electrode substrate 1 and the counter electrode 4 are overlapped to prevent leakage or evaporation of the electrolyte layer 3. A material 5 is provided. When the dye-sensitized solar cell 10 is viewed from the side α on which sunlight is incident, the line of sight L1 to the portion other than the sealing material 5 is carried by the photoelectrode layer 2 when the electrode substrate 1 is transparent. The color tone of the sensitizing dye, the color tone of the electrolyte layer 3, or the color tone created by combining the two types is visually recognized. However, regarding the line of sight L2 to the portion where the sealing material 5 is provided, the color tone of the upper surface of the sealing material 5 is visually recognized if the electrode substrate 1 is transparent.

  By coloring the vicinity of the upper surface of the sealing material 5 in a color tone other than white, the portion provided with the sealing material 5 can be visually recognized in a color tone other than white from the side on which sunlight is incident. Coloring other than white is formed with a synthetic resin in which the lower surface of the conductive thin film 12 where the sealing material 5 is provided is colored in advance using a paint or the base material 11 where the sealing material 5 is provided. However, the portion of the base material 11 where the sealing material 5 is provided may be colored using a paint or the like, but the forming composition which is a material for forming the sealing material 5 is previously added. If the colorant is blended and the sealing material 5 is formed using the material, the work relating to the coloring becomes simple, and there is no fear of the material used for coloring peeling off, and the sealing material Since 5 itself is also stable, it leads to maintaining the colored state stably, and is preferable.

  FIG. 2 is a plan view of the dye-sensitized solar cell 10 shown in FIG. The portion where the electrode substrate 1 and the counter substrate 42 are overlapped is provided so that the sealing material 5 is continuously edged with a substantially constant width, and the upper surface of the sealing material 5 is visible. However, when the sealing material 5 is white or is simply transparent, the appearance is as if white or the color frame of the counter substrate 42 is formed around the photoelectrode layer 2 or the electrolyte. The color tone of the layer 3 and an unnatural contrast are produced, resulting in poor design. If the portion where the sealing material 5 is provided is colored in a color tone that approximates the portion where the color tone of the photoelectrode layer 2 or the electrolyte layer 3 that is the other portion is visually recognized, for example, the sealing material 5 The difference in color tone is reduced at the boundary between the arranged portion and the other portions, resulting in a continuous feeling, unnatural contrast is eliminated and the design is excellent, and the dye-sensitized solar cells 10 are arranged in parallel. Even when arranged in such a way, a natural appearance can be obtained with a sense of unity.

  As an approximate color tone, if the color difference (ΔE *) is 10 or less, more preferably 5 or less, and the color difference of the color tone between the sealing material 5 and other portions is about this level, it is unnatural. Contrast can be prevented from occurring. The above-described color difference is measured according to the color measurement method and measurement light source defined in JIS-Z8722 and JIS-Z8720, and the lightness index (L *) and perceptual color index (a *, JIS-Z8729) are defined. The color difference (ΔE *) defined by JIS-Z8730 was calculated from the value of b *), the lightness index (L *) and the perceptual chromaticity index (a *, b *) of the printing paper to be proofread. Is.

  Conversely, the color tone of the portion provided with the sealing material 5 is a color tone other than white and contrasting with the other portions, thereby providing a dye-sensitized solar cell that enhances design. You can also.

  Examples of the material used for the sealing material 5 include acrylate oligomers, acrylate monomers, liquid elastomers, silicone resins, silicone resins, and mixtures using a plurality of these. The color tone of the sealing material 5 itself can be set by blending a colorant such as a pigment or a dye in advance with a forming composition using these materials. The sealing material 5 may be colored and opaque to emphasize the color tone, or may be colored and transparent or colored and translucent to allow light to pass and improve design.

  The photoelectrode layer 2 is formed using a semiconductor material such as Fe2O3, Cu2O, In2O3, WO3, Fe2TiO3, PbO, V2O5, FeTiO3, Bi2O3, Nb2O3, SrTiO3, ZnO, BaTiO3, CaTiO3, KTaO3, SnO2, and ZrO2. It can be formed by supporting the above-mentioned sensitizing dye on a thin film. Among these, as a semiconductor material, titanium oxide (TiO2) or zinc oxide (ZnO) which is excellent in forming a transparent thin layer from the viewpoint of cost and workability ) Is preferable, but is not limited thereto, and an appropriate one can be used.

  As a sensitizing dye carried on the photoelectrode layer 2, yellow can be expressed by using a carotenoid pigment such as gardenia pigment or honeysuckle pigment or a coumarin pigment such as coumarin 343. In developing other color tones, it can be expressed using dyes such as eosin and the like for red, and Scarylium for blue, and various combinations of these three primary colors at appropriate ratios. It may be possible to set different color tones.

  Depending on the application used, ruthenium metal complex dyes generally known as sensitizing dyes include N3, black dye, bipyridine-carboxylic acid group, bipyridine series, phenanthroline, quinoline, β-diketonate complex, and other Os metal complexes, Metal complex dyes such as Fe metal complex, Cu metal complex, Pt metal complex, Re metal complex, methine dyes such as cyanine dyes and merocyanine dyes, mercurochrome dyes, xanthene dyes, porphyrin dyes, phthalocyanine dyes, azo dyes, coumarins Organic dyes such as dyes can also be used.

  The electrolyte layer 3 may be a liquid electrolyte such as a mixed solution of acetonitrile and ethylene carbonate, a solvent such as methoxypropionitrile or propylene carbonate, and an electrolyte such as lithium iodide or metallic iodine, or a polymer gel. A liquid electrolyte system such as a quasi-solidified electrolyte such as an electrolytic solution, a solid electrolyte system such as a p-type semiconductor or a hole transport agent, or the like can be used.

  For the base material 11, highly transparent glass, tempered glass, synthetic resin with high transparency such as polycarbonate resin, acrylic resin, polyarylate resin, polymethacrylate, polyvinyl chloride, or the like can be used. In addition to the highly durable polyethylene terephthalate resin for the electrolyte layer 3, polyester synthetic resins such as polybutylene terephthalate resin and polyethylene naphthalate resin, and polyolefin-based synthetic resins such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and cyclic polyolefin resins can also be suitably used.

  Further, as the conductive coating 12, a tin-doped indium oxide (ITO), fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO), gold, platinum, or the like, which has excellent transparency and high conductivity, or a combination of them is vacuum deposited or sputtered. It is formed by an appropriate method such as a vapor deposition method, an ion plating method, a CVD method, or an electrophoretic electrodeposition method, or a film on which these thin films are formed is attached to the electrode substrate 2 or the like. be able to.

  Further, as the counter electrode 4, a vacuum deposition method using platinum, carbon, a conductive polymer, a metal oxide such as tin-doped indium oxide (ITO), fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO), and the like, or a composite material of the above-described substances is used. It can be formed by an appropriate method such as sputtering deposition method, ion plating method, CVD method, electrophoretic electrodeposition method, or by attaching a film on which these thin films are formed. .

  In addition, the counter substrate 42 can be formed using an appropriate material when transparency is not required. However, when transparency is required, the materials mentioned in the substrate 11 are preferably used. Can do.

It is sectional drawing which shows one Embodiment of the dye-sensitized solar cell concerning this invention. It is a top view of the dye-sensitized solar cell shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electrode substrate 11 Base material 12 Conductive film 2 Photoelectrode layer 3 Electrolyte layer 4 Counter electrode 5 Sealing material 10 Dye-sensitized solar cell

Claims (3)

A transparent electrode substrate provided with a base material and a conductive coating, a photoelectrode layer provided on the conductive coating and having a sensitizing dye adsorbed on a porous semiconductor material, the photoelectrode layer and a counter electrode; An electrolyte layer that moves between the electrodes and a sealing material that seals the electrolyte layer between the electrode substrate and the counter electrode, and at least sunlight enters the sealing material. A dye-sensitized solar cell, wherein the dye-sensitized solar cell is made visible from the side, and the sealing material is visually recognized in a color tone other than white. 2. The dye-sensitized solar cell according to claim 1, wherein a color tone other than the white color is similar to a color tone other than the one on which the sealing material on the side on which sunlight is incident is disposed. . The dye-sensitized solar cell according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the color tone other than white is colored by a sealing material formed using a colored forming composition.