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

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 -TiO 2 /LPPs) composite photoanodes. Using the solar energy storage and emission performances of LPP phosphors, the final m -TiO 2 /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 -TiO 2 /LPP photoanodes in the hybridized DSSCs provides new opportunities of making multi-energy integrated photovoltaics for persistent power generation free of sun illumination.