Highly inter-aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) demonstrate excellent mechanical, electronic, and catalytic properties, which exhibit high surface area with enhanced optoelectronic and electronic performance. A yarn-shaped and high efficiency 3D photovoltaic sensor network has been developed using coaxial, inter-aligned, ultrastrong and highly conductive CNT yarns (CNY) in both electrodes with solid phase electrolyte. Development of TiO2 based photocatalysts anchored to nanostructured supporting materials with large surface areas would be of great significance. In addition to mp-TiO2 and CNTs, quantum dots have recently drawn attention in photoenergy conversion systems due to a high absorption coefficient, tunable band gap and multiple exciton generation effects. These advantages enable sensor flexibility and significantly improve the charge transfer speed. Herein, this report proposes to apply np-TiO2/mp-TiO2/CdS/CdSe/N719 hybrid structure to realize both MEG effects and multiple electron transmission paths. The reported energy conversion efficiency (6.03%) with the solid state PV sensor is ten-times higher than that of the metal-cored wire-shaped PV sensor we published before. The hydrothermally crystallized mp-TiO2 film along with a thin (50nm) underlayer (np-TiO2) interfaced with the high surface area CNY has been grafted around the working electrode (WE), which has been found capable in wide range of structural flexibility (30-3300) without changing signal transmitting characteristics. The photosignal/signal conversion efficiency is independent of sensor shape or position. Due to the yarn shape, the CNY microsensors can easily be woven into reinforced carbon fabric for advanced composite application.

Three-dimensional photovoltaic cells for renewable energy application with enhanced exciton-hole separation and barrier characteristics

254th National Meeting (2017)

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