Binary Iodides and Polyethylene Oxide (PEO) Based Gel Polymer Electrolyte for Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

Volume 2 - Issue 1

Bandara TMWJ*, Nishshanke GBMMM and Thilakarathna BDKK

Received: October 01, 2019;   Published: October 11, 2019

DOI: 10.32474/MAMS.2018.02.000128

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Abstract

The stability in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) can be improved by replacing their liquid electrolytes by gel polymer electrolytes. Gel polymer electrolytes, containing binary iodides having small and large cations improve, efficiency in DSCs without degrading the mechanical properties of the electrolyte. A new gel polymer electrolyte, suitable for DSCs, is prepared with PEO and binary salts LiI and tetrapropylammonium iodide. The conductivity in the electrolyte is 3.48mS cm^-1 at 25 °C and it increases gradually with increasing temperature. The temperature dependence of conductivity of this PEO based gel electrolyte follows the VTF equation. The activation energy and pre-exponential factor values of the electrolyte are 0.024eV and 53.4SKcm^-1 respectively. Solar cell assembled with this new gel polymer electrolyte exhibits very good short-term stability. The short circuit current density, the open circuit voltage and the energy conversion efficiency the DSC are 11.2mA cm^-2, 0.674 V and 5.18% respectively.

Keywords: Mixed cation effect; Polymer electrolyte; Dye sensitized solar cells; Counter ion; Gel electrolyte: Binary salt

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