Nanowire based dye sensitized solar cells and electrochromic devices

The performance of nanowires based dye sensitized solar cells (DSC) and electrochromic devices (EC) were studied and compared with those made out of nanoparticles. Tin oxide and tungsten trioxide were used for DSC and EC, respectively. Tin oxide and tungsten trioxide, unbranched and branched nanowires, with diameters ranging from 40 to 100 nm and high aspect ratios were synthesized and the obtained nanowire powders were dispersed in a solvent. The electrochromic behavior of both the nanowire and nanoparticle films of tungsten trioxide were characterized for their optical absorbance and response times with applied potential. DSC and EC based on nanowires showed performances comparable or better than the devices made with nanoparticles. Mats of high densities of nanowires in a network fashion could offer interesting possibilities for solar cell and electrochromic device applications. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the AIChE Annual Meeting (San Francisco, CA 11/12-17/2006).

Nanowire based dye sensitized solar cells and electrochromic devices Conference Paper