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The Use of Near Infra Red as a Rapid Heat Treatment Process in the Manufacture of Metal-based Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

Trystan Watson ,
Ian Mabbett  and
David Worsley
Trystan Watson
Affiliation:
[email protected]
Ian Mabbett
Affiliation:
[email protected], Swansea University, Materials Research Centre, Swansea, United Kingdom
David Worsley
Affiliation:
[email protected], Swansea University, Materials Research Centre, Swansea, United Kingdom
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Abstract

A near infrared heating method is presented which directly heats metal substrates to very high temperatures within seconds. The technique is used to heat 1mm thick titanium and stainless steel metal coupons onto which 1 cm2 commercial TiO2 pastes have been deposited within 12-25 seconds giving assembled dye sensitized solar cell efficiencies which are equivalent to cells prepared using a convection oven for 1800 seconds. The near infrared method is applicable to different paste thicknesses and paste types as well as different metal substrates. Near infrared sintering for the shortest times 12.5 seconds yielded cells with the highest efficiency compared to convection oven prepared samples. This ultrafast heating seems to drive off binder very effectively and lead to rapid sintering. Ultrafast sintering allows peak metal temperatures of 500-800 °C to be achieved without the massive losses in cell efficiency observed with the conventional heat treatment at temperatures over 600 ◦C.

Keywords

sinteringphotovoltaiccoating
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1211: Symposium R – Advanced Nanostructured Solar Cells , 2009 , 1211-R08-06
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2010

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