Quasi solid state dye-sensitized solar cells based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) electrolytes containing redox couple
Journal article, 2014

Quasi solid state dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have been fabricated with electrolytes containing I-/I-3(-) redox couple using 80% hydrolyzed polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) doped with potassium iodide (KI) and a mixture of potassium iodide and tetrapropyl ammonium iodide (Pr4NI) salts. The quasi solid state gel polymer electrolytes were prepared using 1: 1 ethylene carbonate (EC): propylene carbonate (PC) mixture. The solar cells have the structure of ITO/TiO2/N-3-Dye/electrolyte/Pt/ITO. The conductivity of the electrolytes has been calculated from the bulk resistance value determined using the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The performance of the DSSCs has been studied by varying the concentration of the doping salts in the electrolyte and incident light intensity. The DSSC fabricated with the KI salt electrolyte containing 9.9 wt% PVA, 39.6 wt% EC, 39.6 wt% PC, 10.9 wt% KI(+I-2) exhibited the best power conversion efficiency of 1.97 %. However, the DSSC with a double-salt electrolyte containing 9.9 wt% PVA: 39.6 wt% EC: 39.6 wt% PC: (6.5 wt% KI: 4.4 wt% Pr4NI) (+I-2) exhibited a higher efficiency of 3.27% under 100 mW/cm(2) light intensity. The efficiency of this cell increased to 4.59 % under dimmer light of intensity of 54 mW/cm(2).

IODIDE

Polyvinyl alcohol

EFFICIENCY

Double-salt

NANOCRYSTALLINE TIO2

COMPOSITE

Quasi solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs)

PERFORMANCE

ENHANCEMENT

GEL POLYMER ELECTROLYTE

CONVERSION

ADDITIVES

CONDUCTIVITY

(PVA)

Author

A. K. Arof

University of Malaya

Muhammad Naeem

Student at Chalmers

F. Hameed

Student at Chalmers

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

University of Peradeniya

M. A. Careem

University of Malaya

L. P. Teo

University of Malaya

M. H. Buraidah

University of Malaya

Optical and Quantum Electronics

0306-8919 (ISSN) 1572-817X (eISSN)

Vol. 46 1 143-154

Subject Categories

Physical Sciences

DOI

10.1007/s11082-013-9723-z

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Latest update

2/16/2022