Quasi-Solid-State Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells with Polymer Gel Electrolyte and Triphenylamine-Based Organic Dyes

Abstract

We report on the application of a poly(methyl acrylate)/poly(ethylene glycol)-based polymer gel electrolyte and triphenylamine-based metal-free organic dyes in quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells. The poly(methyl acrylate)/poly(ethylene glycol) hybrid is beneficial to the entrapment of a large volume of liquid electrolyte. At 25 degrees C, the ionic conductivity and the triiodide ionic diffusion constant of the as-prepared polymer gel electrolyte are 2.1 mS cm(-1) and 2.3 x 10(-6) cm(2) s(-1), respectively. The quasi-solid-state solar cell sensitized by triphenylamine-based dyes attains an overall energy conversion efficiency of 5.76% at a light intensity of 30 mW cm(-2). The presence of poly(ethylene glycol) in the electrolyte obviously increases the conductivity and energy conversion efficiency compared to that without poly(ethylene glycol).