Conductivity behaviour in novel quasi-solid-state electrolyte based on polyacrylonitrile and tetrahexylammonium iodide intended for dye sensitized solar cells
Journal article, 2013

The conduction of iodide ions in gel polymer electrolytes and the performance of dye sensitized solar cells containing such an electrolyte can be enhanced by incorporating a salt having a bulky cation. In this work, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and Hex(4)N(+)I(-) based gel electrolytes with ethylene carbonate and propylene carbonate as plasticizers have been studied. The variation of conductivity and molar conductivity with salt concentration has been discussed in order to understand the mechanism of iodide ion conductivity in this system. Out of the various compositions studied, the electrolyte containing 120 % salt with respect to weight of PAN showed the highest conductivity, 2.0 X 10(-3) Scm(-1) at 25 degrees C and a glass transition at - 102.3 degrees C. The electrolytes exhibit predominantly ionic behaviour and because of the bulky cation a negligible cationic transport is shown. A quasi-solid-state dye sensitized solar cell was fabricated employing the optimized gel electrolyte. This cell showed an energy conversion efficiency of 3.1 % and a short circuit current density of 8.1 mAcm(-2) under irradiation of 1000 Wm(-2).

COMPOSITE

POLYMER ELECTROLYTES

ASSOCIATION

RELAXATION

GEL ELECTROLYTES

VISCOSITY

EFFICIENCY

PLASTICIZED ELECTROLYTE

IONIC-CONDUCTIVITY

SOLVENTS

Author

T M W J Bandara

Chalmers, Applied Physics, Solid State Physics

T. Svensson

Chalmers, Applied Physics

M. A. K. L. Dissanayake

National Institute of Fundamental Studies

Maurizio Furlani

Chalmers, Applied Physics, Solid State Physics

W. J. M. J. S. R. Jayasundara

University of Peradeniya

P. S. L. Fernando

Rajarata University of Sri Lanka

Ingvar Albinsson

University of Gothenburg

Bengt-Erik Mellander

Chalmers, Applied Physics, Nuclear Engineering

Journal of the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka

1391-4588 (ISSN)

Vol. 41 3 175-184

Driving Forces

Sustainable development

Areas of Advance

Energy

Materials Science

Subject Categories

Other Natural Sciences

DOI

10.4038/jnsfsr.v41i3.6056

More information

Latest update

3/21/2023