A new method for manufacturing dye-sensitized solar cells on plastic substrates

The prevailing prodn. method for dye-sensitized solar cells is based on the screen-printing technique. To find an alternative method, allowing very high throughput, we have looked into the possibility of developing a continuous prodn. process. A prerequisite for such a process is to use flexible substrates (allowing roller mill coating of the different layers in the cell). The method involves deposition of a layer of semiconductor particles onto a conducting substrate and compression of the particle layer to form a mech. stable, elec. conducting nanostructured film at room temp. Using Degussa P25 (TiO2), the so called N719 dye, I-/I 3 - as redox couple, and thermally platinized conducting glass we have achieved an overall efficiency of 6.0 +/- 0.5% with a top result of 9%. For plastic cells efficiencies of up to 5% have been obtained. The method allows prepn. of interconnected modules including monolithic cells.