Dye-sensitized solar cell element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10008336-B2
Application number	US-201414908804-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2014
Priority date	Jul 31, 2013
Publication date	Jun 26, 2018
Grant date	Jun 26, 2018

Abstract

A dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) element includes at least one DSC. The DSC includes a first base material having a transparent substrate, a second base material facing the first base material, an oxide semiconductor layer provided between the first and second base materials, and a sealing portion connecting the first and second base materials. One transparent substrate is provided for the at least one DSC, and a coating layer covering a light receiving surface, which is opposite to the second base material, of the transparent substrate and transmitting light is provided on the first base material. The coating layer includes an annular peripheral portion, and a center portion provided at the inner side of the peripheral portion. An average thickness of the peripheral portion is smaller than a maximum thickness of the center portion, and the coating layer has a refractive index higher than that of the transparent substrate.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A dye-sensitized solar cell element comprising at least one dye-sensitized solar cell and a single transparent substrate,
the at least one dye-sensitized solar cell including:
a first base material comprising the transparent substrate;
a second base material facing the first base material;
an oxide semiconductor layer provided between the first base material and the second base material; and
an annular sealing portion connecting the first base material and the second base material,
a coating layer being provided on the first base material, the coating layer being capable of transmitting light, and

the transparent substrate including a light receiving surface which faces the coating layer,
the coating layer covering the light receiving surface of the transparent substrate,
the coating layer including:
an annular peripheral portion; and
a center portion provided at the inner side of the peripheral portion, wherein

an average thickness of the peripheral portion is smaller than a maximum thickness of the center portion,
the coating layer has a refractive index higher than a refractive index of the transparent substrate; wherein
the entire transparent substrate is curved to be convex toward a side opposite to the coating layer,
and wherein,
in a case where the dye-sensitized solar cell element comprises one dye-sensitized solar cell, the peripheral portion of the coating layer is a portion of the coating layer extending outward in a circumferential direction from an inner circumference of the annular sealing portion,
in a case where the dye-sensitized solar cell element comprises a plurality of the dye-sensitized solar cells, the sealing portions of the adjacent dye-sensitized solar cells are integrated with each other to form an integrated sealing portion, and the integrated sealing portion has an outer annular portion, the peripheral portion of the coating layer is a portion of the coating layer extending outward in a circumferential direction from an inner circumference of the outer annular portion of the integrated sealing portion, or
in a case where the dye-sensitized solar cell element comprises a plurality of the dye-sensitized solar cells, the sealing portions of the adjacent dye-sensitized solar cells are separated from each other, and an annular border is defined by combining inner circumferential edges of all of the sealing portions, the peripheral portion of the coating layer is a portion of the coating layer extending outward in a circumferential direction from the annular border.

2. The dye-sensitized solar cell element according to claim 1 , wherein a surface, which is opposite to the transparent substrate, of surfaces of the coating layer is a flat surface.

3. The dye-sensitized solar cell element according to claim 1 , wherein the transparent substrate is composed of glass, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polycarbonate or polyethersulfone.

4. The dye-sensitized solar cell element according to claim 1 , wherein the transparent substrate is composed of polycarbonate.

Assignees

• Fujikura Ltd

Inventors

• KITSUDA Mami
• Matsumoto Daisuke

Classifications

• H01G9/2077 Primary

  Sealing arrangements, e.g. to prevent the leakage of the electrolyte · CPC title

• H01G9/2059

  comprising an organic dye as the active light absorbing material, e.g. adsorbed on an electrode or dissolved in solution · CPC title

• Y02E10/542

  Dye sensitized solar cells · CPC title

• H01G9/2027

  comprising an oxide semiconductor electrode · CPC title

• H01G9/2031

  comprising titanium oxide, e.g. TiO2 (H01G9/2036 takes precedence) · CPC title