Issue 8, 2014

Efficient quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells from graphene incorporated conducting gel electrolytes

Abstract

Aimed at enhancing the liquid electrolyte loading, ionic conductivity, and electrocatalytic activity toward iodides, a freeze-dried microporous polyacrylate–poly(ethylene glycol) (PAA–PEG) matrix was employed to uptake conducting substances, such as graphene, graphene oxide, and graphite. A liquid electrolyte loading of 21.1 g per g and a room-temperature ionic conductivity of 11.60 mS cm−1 were obtained from the PAA–PEG/graphene conducting gel electrolyte. The conducting substances can form interconnected channels within the insulating microporous PAA–PEG matrix, therefore, the reduction reaction of triiodide ions in the dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) can be extended from the Pt/gel electrolyte interface to both the interface and three-dimensional framework of the microporous conducting gel electrolyte. The resulting DSSCs made from PAA–PEG/graphene, PAA–PEG/graphene oxide, and PAA–PEG/graphite exhibit power conversion efficiencies of 7.74%, 6.49%, and 5.63%, respectively, which are much higher than 5.02% exhibited by a pure PAA–PEG-based DSSC. This new concept, along with ease of fabrication suggests that microporous conducting gel electrolytes could be good alternative electrolytes for use in efficient quasi-solid-state DSSCs.

Graphical abstract: Efficient quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells from graphene incorporated conducting gel electrolytes

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
29 Oct 2013
Accepted
22 Nov 2013
First published
25 Nov 2013

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2014,2, 2814-2821

Efficient quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells from graphene incorporated conducting gel electrolytes

S. Yuan, Q. Tang, B. Hu, C. Ma, J. Duan and B. He, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2014, 2, 2814 DOI: 10.1039/C3TA14385F

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