A CdSe quantum dot sensitized solar cell appropriate for undergraduate instruction was developed that utilizes a procedure in the pedagogical literature for CdSe quantum dot synthesis and many of the components of the dye sensitized solar cell described in the Nanocrystalline Solar Cell Kit marketed by the Institute for Chemical Education. The latter include tin oxide coated glass, P25 colloidal TiO2 and a graphite coating on the counter electrode supplied by a pencil. Loading of the CdSe quantum dots on the TiO2 matrix was achieved by using cysteine as a linker molecule. The working solar cell uses a polysulfide electrolyte in an ethanol/water mixture. Measurements under ambient conditions using a 90W headlamp gave open circuit voltage values of 0.3-0.4 V and short circuit current values of 0.8-1.3 mA. These parameters decreased from their optimum values after about 10 minutes. Fabrication and testing of this quantum dot sensitized solar cell was incorporated in a physical chemistry laboratory module which also includes synthesis of the CdSe quantum dots and their characterization by fluorescence and UV/Visible spectroscopy.

Quantum dot sensitized solar cell for the undergraduate laboratory curriculum

249th National Meeting (2015)

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