Module3:PolymerSolarCell

TeacherLabPreparationGuide

Inthisactivity,studentswill:
learnaboutthemechanismsbehindalternativeenergyproductionandhowthey
arechangingtheenergyindustry
investigateorganicmaterialsandtheirproperties
learnaboutphotosensitivematerialsandhowitrelatestoenergytransfer

Thismodulewillfocuson:
creating
aconjugatedpolymer/TiO
hybridsolarcells
2
analysisoflightabsorptionandcorrespondingspectralresponsivityofthe
photovoltaicdevice
principlesofelectrochemistry,chargetransfer,alternativeenergyresources

CurriculumAlignment
(
http://bit.ly/1WbBupK
)

TeacherPreparationTime:
20mins

LaboratoryTimeRequired:
80mins(overtwodays)
LabPart1:FabricationofTiO
Electrodes

20mins(orovernight)
2
LabPart2:PreparingthePhotovoltaicDevices60mins

Classroomsetuprecommendations:
LabPart1:
TellstudentstotapetheirglasselectrodesdownandbringthecontainerofTiO
2
pastetothemonceready.Theycanspreadthepasteattheirstations.Then
bringtheirpreparedelectrodestothehotplateforsintering.
Setupahotplateinfumehood,tellstudentstoplacetheirTiO
slidesina
2
gridlikefashionandnotewheretheyplaceditsotheycanretrievetheirslide.
**TEACHERTIP:
Makeadiagramofthelayoutofstudentgroup
electrodesandplacethemonthehotplateinthatorder.Thiswillensure
thatstudentswillknowtheyareworkingwiththeelectrodetheymade.

 Allowstudentstotakeonemultimeteroutsidefortestinginsun,leaveone
multimeterfortestingwithoverheadprojector.
TEACHERNOTE
youcanplacetheelectrodesonacoldhotplatesothe
studentsdonotburntheirfingers.Thenturnthehotplateon.Itwilltakeextra
timetoheatup,butitwillavoidthepossibilityofstudentsburningtheirfingers.
Theteachershouldmonitorthehotplateandturnitoffattheendoftheday.
LabPart2:
MEHPPVshouldbeinthefumehoodwithdesignatedpipette(onewitha
markingat0.25mL).
HavestudentssetuparinsebeakeratlabstationsinordertorinseMEHPPV
electrodeintoafterdryinginthefumehood.
Isopropylalcoholanddeionizedwatershouldbeavailableoutsideofthe
fumehoodforthisstep.
Anoverheadprojectorisrequiredforthispart.Studentscanrotatebetween
directsunlight,overheadprojector,androom(ambient)light.

TeacherPrelabMaterialPrep:

Thereisverylittlepreparationrequiredoutsideofsettingupthematerialsinthefume
hoodandensuringaccesstomultiplelightsources.
Ensurethat
0.25mL
volumeismarkedonthedisposableplasticpipetteatthefumehood
station(forMEHPPVchloroformsolution).Thiswillhelpstudentsdeterminehowmuch
polymertouseandwillmakethekitmaterialslastlonger.

Tips:
For Chemicals:
Whennotinuse,wrapMEH:PPVinfoilandputintherefrigerator.
Advisethestudentstocleantheglasswell.Particlesofdustordirtmay
dysfunctionthePSSC.
For Disassembling and chemical disposal

Disassemble the device and wash off the electrolyte (if it is not already evaporated).
FTO-glass can be reused, but notice, that with every application the FTO layer
will degra
de. You can reuse the graphite electrodes easily. The TiO
electrodes are
2

also reusable. The nanoparticle layer can be bleached and sensitized with MEH-PPV
or other light sensitive materials.

VideoTutorial:
http://tiny.cc/ecm44x

SafetyDataSheetsandSafetyConcerns(ClickLinksbelow):
MEHPPV

Poly[2methoxy5(2ethylhexyloxy)1,4phenylenevinylene
TiO
2

I
/I
electrolytesolution
3

MaterialsinKit:
ReusableMaterialsarenotedwithanasterisk(*)
Part1(Perclass)
1bottleofnanoparticleTiO
paste(thiscontainsamixtureofTiO
2
2
nanoparticles,water,andsurfactant)25mL
2Multimeterswithprobes*
Hotplatefoillinedforeasyremoval(notinkit)

Part2(Perclass)

1bottleofI
/I
electrolytesolution
3
1glasscapillarytubeforelectrolytesolution*
1bottleofMEHPPVinchloroformsolutioninfumehood
multimeterswithprobes*
overheadprojector(notinkit)
Materialsusedperstudentgroup:
Enoughfor20pairsofstudentsatatime,upto3uses
Part1Perstudentgroup:
2transparentconductiveFTOglassplates(electrodes)*
one2.5cmlongx2.5cmwideelectrodeone2.5cmlongx1cmwide
electrode
1rollofscotchtape(notinkit)
1plasticpipetteforTiO
paste*
2
1pastespreader(thiscanbeanyrigidstraightedge,i.eglassstirringrod,
glassslide)(notinkit)
1forceportweezer*
1graphitepencil*

Part2Perstudentgroup
1preparedTiO
electrode(frompart1)
2
1preparedgraphitecoatedcounterelectrode
2smallbinderclips*
1plasticpipette*
1squeezebottleofdistilledwater(notinkit)
1squeezebottleofethanol(notinkit)
1tweezerorforcep*
1wastebeaker

Tips:
Whentestingthecurrentandvoltage,makesurethatyouconnectthecrocclips
totheelectrodesinascloseproximityaspossible.Thisisbecausethereisabout
20resistanceacrosstheFTOglass,sothiswilldecreasethephotocurrentthat
isgeneratedsignificantly.
Makesurestudentsdontwaittoolongtotesttheirdevicebecauseelectrolyte
solutioncandryout.
TypicalResults/Data
Bestresultsobtainedbyclampingthecrocclipsdirectlytotheglasselectrodes.

OutsideinSun

Multimetersettingat200A

00.1A

Multimetersettingat2000mV

100500mV

withgreencoloredfilm

3065mV

withorangecoloredfilm

40100mV

withyellowcoloredfilm

200250mV

withredcoloredfilm

077220mV

OverheadProjector

Multimetersettingat2000mV

200350mV

PrelabQuestionAnswers:
1. What are themain differencesbetween voltageandcurrent(inourcase,thiswill
bephotocurrent)?
a. Answer:
Voltage is a measurement of the potential difference between
twopoints. It is issometimesexpressedasJoules/Coulomb(J/C).Current
istherate atwhichelectrons(charge)flows.Theseunitsareexpressedin
Amps(ormilliampsinourlab).AnAmpisaCoulombpersecond.
2. Think about a particular polymer/dye thatyou arefamiliar with. What color(s)of
visiblelightisitreflecting?Whatcolor(s)ofvisiblelightdoesitabsorb?
a. Answer:
Chlorophyll is reflecting green light. It absorbs all other
wavelengthsoflight.
3. The electromagnetic spectrum is represented below. Which wavelengths of
visiblelightarethemostenergetic?
a. Answer:
Violetwaves

InLabQuestionAnswers:
1. WhatisthepurposeoftheTiO
layer?
2
a. Answer:
TheTiO
nanoparticlesserveasahighsurfacearealayerthat
2
allowsformaximumabsorptionoftheMEHPPVpolymer.Thiscreatesan
effectivephotosensitiveactivelayer,leadingtogreaterphotonabsorption
andenergyconversion.Thisiswherephotonswillbeusedtoexcitethe
electronsinthepolymer,leadingtotransferofelectrons.
2. Whatisthepurposeofthegraphitelayer?
a. Answer:
Thegraphitelayeristhecounterelectrode,aplacewhere
electronsfromthepolymerwhicharetravelinginthecircuitarereleased
backtotheelectrolytesolutionbetweentheglasselectrodes.

Inquiry&InLabQuestions
Investigation1:
TheMEHPPVpolymerabsorbsarangeofwavelengthsofvisible
light,butitabsorbsmostefficientlybetween470nm530nm(see
Figure9
below).
Whatwouldhappenifyoufilterthelightthatthesolarcellisexposedtousingagreen
filter?Comparethiswithwhathappenswhenyouusedifferentcoloredfilters.

Howdothesefilterswork?
Answer:
Coloredfiltersabsorbarangeoflightwavelengths,whilethecolorof
thefilteristhecoloroflightthatistransmittedbythefilter.Thisisolatesaspecific
wavelengthtobetestedforMEHPPVabsorption.

1. Whathappenswhenyouinsertacoloredfilter(red,blue,green,yellow,etc)
betweenthePSSCandthelight?
Answer:
thephotocurrentlevelschange
basedoffthetransmittedlight.Seeexpectedresults.
a. Explainwhythishappenedaccordingtothecharacteristicabsorptionof
MEHPPV.
i. Answer:
MEHPPVabsorbsthegreatestatabout500nm,whichis
bluelight.Thiscoloredfilmshouldyieldthegreatestphotocurrent
(outsideofthefulllightspectrum).Allothercolorsshouldyield
lesserphotocurrent.
2. Doesthecolormatter?Why?
a. Answer:
Yes,specificpolymers(likepigments)haveanoptimal
wavelengththattheyabsorbmostefficiently.
Investigation2:
Thesolarcellsthathavebeenconstructedrequireacoloredpolymer,
TiO
nanoparticles,andelectrolytetofunction.Whataretheeffectsofremovingoneor
2

moreofthesecomponentsfromthecell?
(Seekpermissionfromyourteacherto
recreateyoursolarcellbyremovingvariouscomponentsifneeded)
1. Explainwhyeachcomponentiscrucialfortheoperationofapolymersensitized
solarcell.
Answers:
a. theelectrolyte(I
andKIiodineandpotassiumiodide)removalwould
2
limittheregenerationoftheionspeciesthatreplenishesthepolymers
electronforexcitation.
b. TiO
nanoparticlesremovalwouldlimittheamountoflightsensitive
2
materialonthesolarcell,decreasingtheefficiencyofthedevice
c. MEHPPVpolymerremovalwouldlimitthelightabsorptionofphotons
(TiO
isonlyminimallylightsensitive),decreasingtheefficiencyofthe
2
solarcellandenergyconversion.

PostLabQuestionAnswers:
AnalysisQuestions:CheckingforUnderstanding
1. Wheredoesthepowercomefromwhenweareusingthesolarcell?
a. Answer:
Power=CurrentxVoltage.Thisisconversionofsolarenergy
(photons)toelectricalenergy.

2. Whatcausestheelectronsinthepolymertomove?
a. Answer:
Excitationbyphotonabsorption
3. WhatsideoftheglasselectrodedidyouapplytheTiO
layer?(conductiveor
2
nonconductive)Why?
a. Answer:
Conductive,toallowforelectronstoflowfrompolymer
moleculestotheexternalcircuit
4. Whenthepolymerlosesanelectron,isthepolymerbeingoxidizedorreduced?
a. Answer:
Oxidized
5. Graphiteismadeupoflayersofcarbon.Whatisoursourceofgraphitewhenwe
coatourcounterelectrodewithit?Whatdoyouthinkwillhappentothe
performanceofthePSSCifitwasilluminatedthroughthisgraphiteelectrode
first?
a. Answer:
graphitepenciltheperformancewoulddecline,duetolackof
photonabsorption
6. TheTIO
pasteiswhiteandusedinmanycommercialproducts:whitepaint,
2
toothpaste,powdereddoughnuts,etc.Whatdoweneedtousethedarkcolored
polymertomakeoursolarcellwork?(Hint:Thinkabouthowlightisreflectedor
absorbed)
a. Answer:
ThelightreflectedbytheTiO
pastemaybeintherangethatwill
2
beabsorbedbyacontrastingcoloredmolecule.
7. TheTiO
pasteusedforthislabtocreatethinfilmpolymersensitizedsolarcells
2
ismadeupoftiny(nanometersized25nm)TiO
particles.Onenanometer
2
(1nm)isonebillionthofameter,or0.000000001m.Whatisthisnumberin
scientificnotation?
9

a. Answer:
1x10
m
8. Whyisitimportanttousenanometersizedparticlesforthefilm?Usethewords
surfaceareainyourexplanationandincludeanillustration.
a. Answer:
Decreasingthesizeoftheparticlescorrelateswithanincrease
insurfaceareaofthetotalsample.Thisincreasestheamountofsolar
energythatcanbecaptured.
9. Drawinthedirectioninwhichtheelectronsmovethroughthepolymersensitized
solarcellinthepotentialenergydiagrambelow.Thephotoexcitationyellow
arrowisincludedtoindicatethatsunlightisexcitingthepolymer.
a. Answer:

Explainthesimilarities(viaelectronflowarrows)betweenthetwoenergyleveldiagrams
shownbelowwiththegalvaniccellontheleftandthePSSCdiagramontheright?What
doesthelarge,brightblue(aqua)doublearrowrepresentineachdiagram?Howisit
createdineachcell?
Answer:
Theflowofelectronsoccurfromthehigherenergystatetothelower
energystate(i.e.MgtoCu,excitedmoleculetocounterelectrode).Theaquabluearrow
showtheenergydifference,currentthatshouldbegeneratedfromthedevice.

TeacherContentLinks:
BestMostInclusiveWebsite!
http://plasticphotovoltaics.org/lc/lcpolymersolarcells/lcpolwhy.html
Backgroundreadingforteachers
http://solarwiki.ucdavis.edu/The_Science_of_Solar/Solar_Basics/I._Organic

WherecanIgetthesematerials?
http://www.sciencegeekgirl.com/activities/Blackberry%20solar%20cell.pdf

SpecialtyMaterials
1Precutcommercial(2.5cmx2.5cm)TEC10orTEC15(thats10or15ohmspersquare
meter)Tindioxide(SnO2)coatedglasscanbepurchasedfromHartfordGlassCo.Inc.,POBox

613,HartfordCity,IN47348phone7653481282,Fax7653485435,email
hartglass@netusa1.net.Price:50centseach.Theypreferordersover$50butwilldosmaller
onesforeducationaluseifyouask.Contact:MikeReidy.

2DegussaP25TitaniumdioxidecanbeobtainedfromDorsettandJackson,at3232681815.
IfyouareoutsideofCalifornia,callDegussaUSAtofindyourlocaldistributor,at9735418536.
DorsettandJacksononlysellslargequantities,butIwasabletoobtainasamplesizeforfree
bycallingeitherD&JorDegussa.

3YoucanmakeyourownIodideelectrolytesolutionbydissolving0.127gof0.05MIodine(I2)
in10mLofwaterfreeethyleneglycol,thenadding0.83gof0.5Mpotassiumiodide(KI).Stir
andstoreinadarkcontainer.

YoucanmakeyourownIodideelectrolytesolutionbydissolving0.127gof0.05MIodine(I
)in
2
10mLofwaterfreeethyleneglycol,thenadding0.83gof0.5Mpotassiumiodide(KI).Stirand
storeinadarkcontainer.