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Printing technologies for current collectors for dye-sensitized solar cells. / Martyn A Cherrington

Swansea University Author: Martyn A Cherrington

Abstract

This project was in collaboration with TATA Steel Colors to investigate printing technologies for current collection grids in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) for high volume, large area production. Current collecting grids are important to reduce resistive losses and maintain performance. The aims...

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Published: 2012
Institution: Swansea University
Degree level: Doctoral
Degree name: EngD
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa42625
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first_indexed 2018-08-02T18:55:09Z
last_indexed 2018-08-03T10:10:39Z
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spelling 2018-08-02T16:24:29.8837969 v2 42625 2018-08-02 Printing technologies for current collectors for dye-sensitized solar cells. a13bac55294ae1cc20a9940908dfdc43 NULL Martyn A Cherrington Martyn A Cherrington true true 2018-08-02 This project was in collaboration with TATA Steel Colors to investigate printing technologies for current collection grids in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) for high volume, large area production. Current collecting grids are important to reduce resistive losses and maintain performance. The aims of the thesis were to; investigate different high volume printing technologies as an alternative to screen printing for depositing current collector grids, develop a fast drying and sintering method for improved manufacturing speed, and to develop monitoring technology for quality control to optimize production. Flexographic printing was identified as an alternative to screen printing. Flexible DSCs produced with a flexographic printed current collecting grid were found to have an efficiency drop of -33%, when compared cells built with screen printed current collecting grids. However, the amount of silver printed using flexography saw a reduction of -95% offering a significant reduction in materials cost. A barrier to high volume roll-to-roll printing of conducting inks is the time required for drying and for nanoparticle inks sintering. Nanoparticle inks require a secondary sintering phase to form a highly conductive metallic film. Near infrared (NIR) radiation has been shown to be a rapid method for drying and sintering a silver nanoparticle ink in just 1 second, compared to 10 minutes in an oven, offering a significant reduction in process time. Polymer thick-film inks with microparticles require thermal treatment to remove the solvent to facilitate particle contact which allows the ink to become conductive and NIR drying was found not to be effective. Quality control of the sintering process of silver nanoparticle inks is carried out offline. A method which could be implemented inline has been developed using colorimetry to correlate the colour of a silver nanoparticle ink film to its electrical performance using CIELAB colour coordinates. It is a fast, non-contact method. The technique works on the principle of light scattering through nanoparticles. E-Thesis Materials science.;Electrical engineering.;Alternative Energy. 31 12 2012 2012-12-31 COLLEGE NANME Engineering COLLEGE CODE Swansea University Doctoral EngD 2018-08-02T16:24:29.8837969 2018-08-02T16:24:29.8837969 Faculty of Science and Engineering School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Uncategorised Martyn A Cherrington NULL 1 0042625-02082018162509.pdf 10805383.pdf 2018-08-02T16:25:09.2130000 Output 24393084 application/pdf E-Thesis true 2018-08-02T16:25:09.2130000 false
title Printing technologies for current collectors for dye-sensitized solar cells.
spellingShingle Printing technologies for current collectors for dye-sensitized solar cells.
Martyn A Cherrington
title_short Printing technologies for current collectors for dye-sensitized solar cells.
title_full Printing technologies for current collectors for dye-sensitized solar cells.
title_fullStr Printing technologies for current collectors for dye-sensitized solar cells.
title_full_unstemmed Printing technologies for current collectors for dye-sensitized solar cells.
title_sort Printing technologies for current collectors for dye-sensitized solar cells.
author_id_str_mv a13bac55294ae1cc20a9940908dfdc43
author_id_fullname_str_mv a13bac55294ae1cc20a9940908dfdc43_***_Martyn A Cherrington
author Martyn A Cherrington
author2 Martyn A Cherrington
format E-Thesis
publishDate 2012
institution Swansea University
college_str Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
department_str School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Uncategorised{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Science and Engineering{{{_:::_}}}School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Uncategorised
document_store_str 1
active_str 0
description This project was in collaboration with TATA Steel Colors to investigate printing technologies for current collection grids in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) for high volume, large area production. Current collecting grids are important to reduce resistive losses and maintain performance. The aims of the thesis were to; investigate different high volume printing technologies as an alternative to screen printing for depositing current collector grids, develop a fast drying and sintering method for improved manufacturing speed, and to develop monitoring technology for quality control to optimize production. Flexographic printing was identified as an alternative to screen printing. Flexible DSCs produced with a flexographic printed current collecting grid were found to have an efficiency drop of -33%, when compared cells built with screen printed current collecting grids. However, the amount of silver printed using flexography saw a reduction of -95% offering a significant reduction in materials cost. A barrier to high volume roll-to-roll printing of conducting inks is the time required for drying and for nanoparticle inks sintering. Nanoparticle inks require a secondary sintering phase to form a highly conductive metallic film. Near infrared (NIR) radiation has been shown to be a rapid method for drying and sintering a silver nanoparticle ink in just 1 second, compared to 10 minutes in an oven, offering a significant reduction in process time. Polymer thick-film inks with microparticles require thermal treatment to remove the solvent to facilitate particle contact which allows the ink to become conductive and NIR drying was found not to be effective. Quality control of the sintering process of silver nanoparticle inks is carried out offline. A method which could be implemented inline has been developed using colorimetry to correlate the colour of a silver nanoparticle ink film to its electrical performance using CIELAB colour coordinates. It is a fast, non-contact method. The technique works on the principle of light scattering through nanoparticles.
published_date 2012-12-31T03:53:20Z
_version_ 1763752647287898112
score 11.036116

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