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Ionic liquid crystals: Synthesis, structure and applications to I2-free solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells

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Abstract

A novel type of ionic liquid crystal (ILC) was synthesized and used as a solid electrolyte in I2-free solidstate dye-sensitized solar cells (ssDSSCs). In particular, the properties of two ILCs, 1-[(4-ethenylphenyl)methyl]-3-butyl-imidazolium iodide (EBII) with a single aliphatic C=C bond and 1-[(4-ethenylphenyl)methyl]-3-vinyl-imidazolium iodide (EVII) with two aliphatic C=C bonds, were evaluated. The structures and morphologies of the ILCs were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and polarized optical microscopy (POM). Ultraviolet (UV)-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses revealed that EBII exhibited weaker π-π stacking interactions, longer d-spacing, and a lower melting temperature. The energy conversion efficiency of I2-free ssDSSC with EBII (4.7% at 100 mW/cm2) was higher than with EVII (3.8%) due to facile charge transport and lower electron recombination in the former, as supported by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 120-749, Korea

    Won Seok Chi, Harim Jeon, Sang Jin Kim, Dong Jun Kim & Jong Hak Kim

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  1. Won Seok Chi
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  2. Harim Jeon
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  3. Sang Jin Kim
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  4. Dong Jun Kim
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  5. Jong Hak Kim
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Correspondence to Jong Hak Kim.

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The image from this article is used as the cover image of Volume 21, Issue 3.

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Chi, W.S., Jeon, H., Kim, S.J. et al. Ionic liquid crystals: Synthesis, structure and applications to I2-free solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells. Macromol. Res. 21, 315–320 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13233-013-1097-3

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