I-SHOU UNIVERSITY

Mango juice and kiwi juice are not only everyday beverages but also potential materials for developing green energy technologies. Wei-Cheng Huang, who graduated this year from ISU’s Department of Electronic Engineering, received the 2025 College Student Research Creativity Award from the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC). Under the guidance of Professor Yen-Sheng Lin, Huang conducted research on dye-sensitized solar cells. By developing environmentally friendly working electrodes, he explored the use of organic materials to reduce production costs and minimize the use of harmful substances, demonstrating the contributions of university students to technological research and energy innovation.

Since enrolling in ISU’s Department of Electronic Engineering, Huang has conducted his research under the guidance of Professor Lin. From discussing research topics and collecting data to designing experiments, he gradually developed his research skills under the guidance of Professor Lin. Through continuous experimentation and trial and error, he gradually established solar cell research as his primary area of focus. Traditional silicon solar cells are among the most widely used solar energy technologies today. However, their manufacturing process relies on certain rare and toxic metals, making them relatively costly. Huang and his research team were committed to seeking breakthroughs. They began by exploring organic materials to optimize working electrodes through semiconductor processing to develop more cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternatives. After discussing their research direction with Professor Lin, Huang and his team members selected dye-sensitized solar cells and began investigating how key process parameters, such as interval time, number of cycles, and heat treatment, affect device performance, with the aim of improving the conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells. Encouragingly, the results showed that following process optimization, the device’s photoelectric conversion efficiency increased significantly, reaching up to five times that of the initial device. Looking ahead, Huang and his team will continue to develop more cost-effective, efficient, and environmentally friendly dye-sensitized solar cell technologies, aiming to advance greener manufacturing processes and contribute to the development of the green energy industry. According to Huang, the biggest challenge during the research process was that the experimental results often differed from expectations, requiring him to continually re-examine the materials, adjust the manufacturing process, and conduct repeated tests. Experiments do not always succeed on the first try. Instead, repeated trials identify problems, allowing experience to accumulate and ultimately leading to more stable and reliable research outcomes. During his research, Huang also engaged in inter-university academic collaboration, participating in research exchanges with professors from various academic institutions. These interactions broadened his research perspectives through professional guidance and collaboration.

Reflecting on why he chose ISU, Huang said that he had aspired to become an engineer since high school. After researching programs offered by various universities, he found that ISU offered strong science and engineering education and comprehensive resources, making it an attractive choice among private universities in southern Taiwan. He therefore decided to enroll in the Department of Electronic Engineering. After enrolling at ISU, Huang actively made use of ISU’s research resources in addition to his coursework, including the Precision Instrument Center, the Semiconductor Advanced Process Virtual and Actual Areas, and the Green Photonics Practice Center. The comprehensive equipment and experimental facilities provide him with a practical environment for conducting solar cell research, allowing him to apply what he has learned in class to hands-on research.