Hybridized dye-sensitized solar cells for persistent power generation free of sun illumination

Highlights: • Hybridized DSSCs are made to persistently generate electricity with and without sunlight. • m-TiO₂/LPPs photoanode absorb lost light and emit monochromatic light in the dark. • N719 dye can absorb the monochromatic light for re-excitation. • The hybridized DSSCs yield maximized efficiency as high as 10.07%. The development of weather-independent photovoltaics is a persistent goal for energy technique. Herein we develop a category of hybridized dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) from cost-effective poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) derivate counter electrodes and mesoscopic titanium dioxide/long persistence phosphors (m-TiO₂/LPPs) composite photoanodes. Using the solar energy storage and emission performances of LPP phosphors, the final m-TiO₂/LPPs photoanodes are demonstrated to store unabsorbed incident light and to persistently emit monochromatic light for re-exciting photosensitizers. The optimized photovoltaics yield a maximized power conversion efficiency of 10.07% under simulated sunlight irradiation (100 mW cm⁻², air mass 1.5 global) and durable energy output lasting for hours when ceasing solar illumination. The application of m-TiO₂/LPP photoanodes in the hybridized DSSCs provides new opportunities of making multi-energy integrated photovoltaics for persistent power generation free of sun illumination.