Issue 40, 2013

A quasi-liquid polymer-based cobalt redox mediator electrolyte for dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

Recently, cobalt redox electrolyte mediators have emerged as a promising alternative to the commonly used iodide/triiodide redox shuttle in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). Here, we report the successful use of a new quasi-liquid, polymer-based electrolyte containing the Co3+/Co2+ redox mediator in 3-methoxy propionitrile solvent in order to overcome the limitations of high cell resistance, low diffusion coefficient and rapid recombination losses. The performance of the solar cells containing the polymer based electrolytes increased by a factor of 1.2 with respect to an analogous electrolyte without the polymer. The performances of the fabricated DSCs have been investigated in detail by photovoltaic, transient electron measurements, EIS, Raman and UV-vis spectroscopy. This approach offers an effective way to make high-performance and long-lasting DSCs.

Graphical abstract: A quasi-liquid polymer-based cobalt redox mediator electrolyte for dye-sensitized solar cells

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
29 May 2013
Accepted
16 Aug 2013
First published
19 Aug 2013

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2013,15, 17419-17425

A quasi-liquid polymer-based cobalt redox mediator electrolyte for dye-sensitized solar cells

M. Bhagavathi Achari, V. Elumalai, N. Vlachopoulos, M. Safdari, J. Gao, J. M. Gardner and L. Kloo, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2013, 15, 17419 DOI: 10.1039/C3CP52869C

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