Issue 5, 2013

A novel quasi-solid state dye-sensitized solar cell fabricated using a multifunctional network polymer membrane electrolyte

Abstract

A series of liquid junction dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) was fabricated based on polymer membrane-encapsulated dye-sensitized TiO2 nanoparticles, prepared using a surface-induced cross-linking polymerization reaction, to investigate the dependence of the solar cell performance on the encapsulating membrane layer thickness. The ion conductivity decreased as the membrane thickness increased; however, the long term-stability of the devices improved with increasing membrane thickness. Nanoparticles encapsulated in a thick membrane (ca. 37 nm), obtained using a 90 min polymerization time, exhibited excellent pore filling among TiO2 particles. This nanoparticle layer was used to fabricate a thin-layered, quasi-solid state DSC. The thick membrane prevented short-circuit paths from forming between the counter and the TiO2 electrode, thereby reducing the minimum necessary electrode separation distance. The quasi-solid state DSC yielded a high power conversion efficiency (7.6 → 8.1%) and excellent stability during heating at 65 °C over 30 days. These performance characteristics were superior to those obtained from a conventional DSC (7.5 → 3.5%) prepared using a TiO2 active layer with the same thickness. The reduced electrode separation distance shortened the charge transport pathways, which compensated for the reduced ion conductivity in the polymer gel electrolyte. Excellent pore filling on the TiO2 particles minimized the exposure of the dye to the liquid and reduced dye detachment.

Graphical abstract: A novel quasi-solid state dye-sensitized solar cell fabricated using a multifunctional network polymer membrane electrolyte

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
26 Dec 2012
Accepted
28 Feb 2013
First published
06 Mar 2013

Energy Environ. Sci., 2013,6, 1559-1564

A novel quasi-solid state dye-sensitized solar cell fabricated using a multifunctional network polymer membrane electrolyte

S. Park, I. Y. Song, J. Lim, Y. S. Kwon, J. Choi, S. Song, J. Lee and T. Park, Energy Environ. Sci., 2013, 6, 1559 DOI: 10.1039/C3EE24496B

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements