The present invention relates to a photovoltaic device (1a) comprising a solar cell unit (2a) including a working electrode comprising a light-absorbing layer (3), a counter electrode including a porous conductive layer (6), and a conducting medium for transferring charges between the counter electrode and the working electrode, and a conductor (7) electrically connected to the porous conductive layer (6). The solar cell unit (2a) comprises at least one adhering layer (8) arranged between the conductor (7) and the porous conductive layer (6) for attaching the conductor to the porous conductive layer. The adhering layer (8) comprises an adhesive and conducting particles distributed in the adhesive so that a conducting network is formed in the adhesive.

The invention provides a zwitterionic plastic crystal (ZIPC) compound in the form of a single molecule comprising: at least one positively charged functional group carrying at least one positive charge, and at least one negatively functional group carrying at least one negative charge, wherein the positively charged functional groups and the negatively charged functional groups are covalently tethered together in the molecule, and the net charge of the zwitterionic compound is zero, and wherein the compound exhibits evidence of molecular disorder in the solid state.

The process comprises treating 90-190 g titanium (IV) chloride in 10-100 ml de-ionized water for preparing Titanium cation (Ti.sup.4+); treating 130-275 ml potassium persulfate in 10-100 ml double-distilled water and keeping at constant temperature to obtain sulphate/oxide; dipping substrates into titanium (IV) chloride solution and re-dipping in de-ionized water to remove loosely bonded ions, if could be any; dipping substrates into potassium persulfate solution and re-dipping in de-ionized water to remove loosely bonded ions, if could be any, and keeping at 50-90° C. for complete one cycle; treating obtained Titanium cation (Ti.sup.4+) with sulphate/oxide and obtaining whitish layer on the substrate surface by necked eyes after about 10-15 cycles, suggesting initiation of film formation, wherein the deposition thickness of TiO.sub.2 layer is increased from 0.3-2.0-micron on determined 5-50 deposition cycles; and rinsing deposited films with de-ionized water and air annealed at 400-600° C. temperature to obtain anatase TiO.sub.2.

An electrode (1), the electrode (1) comprises a substrate (4, 5) on which is located a porous layer of a conducting or semi-conducting oxide (6) and having located thereon Ferredoxin NADP Reductase (FNR) (3). The electrode (1) can be used to drive organic synthesis via nicotinamide cofactor regeneration.

The flexible dye-sensitized solar panel with an organic chromophore is formed from an organic chromophore dye in a polymer matrix. The organic chromophore dye is extracted from chard (B. vulgaris subsp. cicla). The polymer matrix may be formed from either poly(vinyl alcohol) or polystyrene. The flexible dye-sensitized solar panel with an organic chromophore is made by preparing a solution of the selected polymer in the dye extracted from the B. vulgaris subsp. cicla. The solution is coated on a glass plate and dried to form a thin film. The thin flexible film is removed from the plate, forming the flexible dye-sensitized solar panel with an organic chromophore.

Provided is a semiconductor nanoparticle-containing composition capable of forming a wavelength conversion layer that efficiently converts the wavelength of excitation light and exhibits sufficient luminescence intensity. An aspect of the semiconductor nanoparticle-containing composition of the present invention contains semiconductor nanoparticles (A) and a coloring matter (B) and further contains a polymerizable compound (C), in which the semiconductor nanoparticles (A) have a maximum emission wavelength in the range of 500 to 670 nm over a wavelength range of 300 to 780 nm, and the coloring matter (B) contains at least one selected from coloring matters (B1) to (B5) having specific structures.

An electrolytic solution comprising N-(fluorosulfonyl)-N-(fluoroalkylsulfonyl)imide or di(fluorosulfonyl)imide, from which a residual solvent that affects the properties of the electrolyte solution material is reduced, is provided. A method for producing an electrolyte solution material containing fluorosulfonyl imide salt represented by the following general formula (1) and an electrolyte solution preparation solvent comprises decompressing and/or heating a solution containing the fluorosulfonyl imide salt and the electrolyte solution preparation solvent to volatilize a production solvent for the fluorosulfonyl imide salt. ##STR00001## In general formula (1), R.sub.1 represents a fluorine atom or a fluorinated alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, R.sub.2 represents an alkali metal ion.

Method of manufacturing a photovoltaic module comprising at least a first layer and a second layer affixed to each other by means of an encapsulant, said method comprising a lamination step wherein the encapsulant material comprises a silane-modified polyolefin having a melting point below 90° C., pigment particles and an additive comprising a cross-linking catalyst; and wherein in said lamination step heat and pressure are applied to the module, said heat being applied at a temperature between 60° C. and 125° C.

The present disclosure is directed to photovoltaic junctions and methods for producing the same. Embodiments of the disclosure may be incorporated in various devices for applications such as solar cells and light detectors and may demonstrate advantages compared to standard materials used for photovoltaic junctions such as silica. An example embodiment of the disclosure includes a photovoltaic junction, the junction including a light absorbing material, an electron acceptor for shuttling electrons, and a metallic contact. In general, embodiments of the disclosure as disclosed herein include photovoltaic junctions which provide absorption across one or more wavelengths in the range from about 200 nm to about 1000 nm, or from near IR (NIR) to ultra-violet (UV). Generally, these embodiments include a multi-layered light absorbing material that can be formed from quantum dots that are successively deposited on the surface of an electron acceptor (e.g., a semiconductor).

Provided is a method of manufacturing an electrolyte for dye-sensitized solar cells, the method including: preparing a hydrogel membrane; immersing the hydrogel membrane in an electrolyzing solution containing iodine or iodide such that the hydrogel membrane is impregnated with iodide ions; and drying the hydrogel membrane.