Photovoltaic cell

Abstract

A method of making a photovoltaic cell includes contacting a cross-linking agent with semiconductor particles, and incorporating the semiconductor particles into the photovoltaic cell.

1 . A method of making a photovoltaic cell, the method comprising: 
 contacting a cross-linking agent with semiconductor particles; and    incorporating the semiconductor particles into the photovoltaic cell.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cross-linking agent comprises an organometallic molecule.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cross-linking agent and the semiconductor particles each comprise an identical chemical element.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the chemical element is a metal.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the chemical element is selected from a group consisting of titanium, zirconium, and zinc.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cross-linking agent and the semiconductor particles comprise an identical chemical bond.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the chemical bond is a metal to non-metal bond.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the chemical bond is a metal-oxygen bond.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cross-linking agent is a material selected from a group consisting of metal alkoxides, metal acetates, and metal halides.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cross-linking agent comprises a gel precursor.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying a dye on the semiconductor particles.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor particles are disposed on a first substrate.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising electrically connecting a second substrate to the first substrate.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the semiconductor particles are disposed between the first and second substrates.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the second substrate is flexible.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the second substrate comprises a polymeric material.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the polymeric material is selected from a group consisting of polyethyleneterephthalate and polyethylenenaphthalate.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the second substrate comprises a polyimide.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising heating the first substrate to less than about 400° C.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first substrate is flexible.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first substrate comprises a polymeric material.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the polymeric material is selected from a group consisting of polyethyleneterephthalate and polyethylenenaphthalate.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the substrate comprises a polyimide.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising incorporating a polymeric electrolyte into the photovoltaic cell.  
     
     
         25 . A method of making a photovoltaic cell, the method comprising: 
 (a) contacting titanium oxide particles with a first flexible polymeric substrate to form a titanium oxide film on the first substrate;    (b) contacting the titanium oxide film with titanium alkoxide to cross-link the particles;    (c) contacting the titanium oxide film with a dye;    (d) contacting the titanium oxide film with a polyelectrolyte; and    (e) applying a second flexible polymeric substrate on the polyelectrolyte to form the cell.    
     
     
         26 . A method of making a photovoltaic cell, the method comprising: 
 (a) continuously forming a first electrode comprising: 
 a flexible polymeric first substrate;  
 a titanium oxide film disposed on the first substrate;  
 a dye comprising ruthenium disposed on the titanium oxide film; and  
 a polyelectrolyte disposed on the titanium oxide film;  
   (b) continuously forming a second electrode comprising: 
 a flexible polymeric second substrate; and  
 a catalyst layer comprising platinum disposed on the second substrate; and  
   (c) continuously connecting the first and second electrodes to form the cell.    
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein step (a) comprises contacting the semiconductor particles with a cross-linking agent.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein step (a) comprises heating the first electrode to less than about 400° C.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein heating is performed after contacting the particles with a cross-linking agent.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein step (a) comprises applying a polymeric polyelectrolyte to the first electrode.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the polyelectrolyte comprises about 5% to about 100% by weight of a polymer, about 5% to about 95% by weight of a plasticizer and about 0.5M to about 10M of a redox electrolyte.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the second substrate is flexible.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein step (b) comprises forming a catalyst on the second substrate.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 43 , further comprising contacting the semiconductor particles with a dye.  
     
     
         51 . A method of fabricating a photovoltaic cell, the method comprising: 
 forming a first electrode comprising 
 (a) applying semiconductor particles onto a flexible first substrate; and  
 (b) applying a polymeric electrolyte onto the first substrate, wherein forming the first electrode is performed in a continuous process.  
   
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 52 , further comprising contacting a cross-linking agent with the semiconductor particles.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising heating the first electrode to less than about 400° C. after contacting the cross-linking agent with the semiconductor particles.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 52 , further comprising contacting the particles with a dye.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 52 , further comprising forming a second electrode having a catalyst disposed thereon.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the second electrode is formed in a continuous process.  
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 57 , further comprising continuously joining the first and second electrodes to form the photovoltaic cell.  
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , further comprising continuously joining the first and second electrodes to form the photovoltaic cell.