Chemically Crosslinked Copolymer Electrolytes Based on Imidazole for Quasi-Solid State Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Abstract

In this study, gel electrolytes based on poly(1-vinyl imidazole-co-elthylene glycol methyl ether acrylate) (P(VIm-co-EGMEA)) as backbone polymer and 1,5-diiodopentane (I(CH₂)₅I) as crosslinker were used for quasi-solid state dye-sensitized solar cells (QS-DSSCs). Chemically crosslinked gel electrolyte using certain concentration of P(VIm-co-EGMEA) and I(CH₂)₅I, DSSCs were fabricated and their photovoltaic performances measured by using a Solar Simulator. In order to characterize the electrolytes, resistance of the DSSCs and ionic conductivity of the electrolyte (0.035M of P(VIm-co-EGMEA)) was examined by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) and the nanopore-filled electrolytes into the nanocrystalline TiO₂ film were investigated by using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM).

Keywords:

• Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
• gel electrolyte
• chemically crosslink
• Photovoltaic performance

Acknowledgement

This research was supported by the Converging Research Center Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (20090082141).