Publication date: 17th February 2025
Recent advancements in the integration of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) with hybrid photocapacitors have been achieved, paving the way for sustainable energy solutions in Internet of Things (IoT) applications. These innovative devices have been engineered to efficiently harvest and store energy from ambient light sources, addressing the growing demand for autonomous power in smart ecosystems. DSCs incorporating copper-based coordination complexes have been developed, exhibiting power conversion efficiencies exceeding 38% under typical indoor illumination levels of 1000 lux. These complexes, featuring copper redox mediators with low reorganization energies, have been shown to enhance charge transport and minimize recombination losses, resulting in improved photovoltages and rapid dye regeneration.1,2
The integration of DSCs with asymmetric supercapacitors has been demonstrated, achieving high photocharging voltages approaching ~ 1V and photocharging efficiencies ~20% with capacitance retention of 100% observed.. The use of earth-abundant materials and the optimization of light absorption through novel dye formulations have been emphasized in the development of these systems.The practical viability of these technologies has been validated through the successful powering of IoT networks for extended periods using ambient light alone. These systems have outperformed commercial amorphous silicon modules by a factor of 4 in inference throughput, showcasing their potential for autonomous, energy-efficient smart devices. Machine learning algorithms have been integrated to enable dynamic energy management, allowing IoT devices to adapt their computational load based on real-time energy availability.3
Emphasis is being placed on developing scalable manufacturing techniques and standardizing testing protocols to ensure consistent evaluation of indoor photovoltaic performance under diverse lighting conditions. By bridging the gap between materials science, device engineering, and IoT applications, these advancements are paving the way for truly sustainable, maintenance-free electronic ecosystems capable of supporting the exponential growth of IoT devices in indoor environments.4
I acknowledge the financial support from EPSRC UKRI for grants EP/W006340/1 and EP/V035819/1 (Photocapacitors for Ambient Energy Applications). They also thank The Royal Society for grants IES/R3/213090, RF/ERE/210025, and URF/R1/191286 (University Research Fellowships). This support has been crucial for our research in energy materials and devices.
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