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Effect of styrene–acrylonitrile content on 0.5 M NaI/0.05 M I2 liquid electrolyte encapsulation for dye-sensitized solar cells

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Abstract

The effect of a gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) as the redox electrolyte used in dye-sensitized solar cells was studied. A GPE solution consisting of 0.5 M sodium iodide, 0.05 M iodine, and ethylene carbonate/propylene carbonate (1:1 w/w) binary solvents was mixed with increasing amounts of styrene–acrylonitrile (SAN). Bulk conductivity measurements show a decreasing trend from 4.54 to 0.83×10−3 S cm−1 with increasing SAN content. The GPE exhibits Newtonian-like behavior and its viscosity increases from 0.041 to 1.093 Pa s with increasing SAN content. A balance between conductivity (1.3 × 10−3 S cm−1) and viscosity (1.4 Pa s) is observed at 19 wt.% SAN. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy detects elevated ring torsion at 706 cm−1 upon the addition of SAN into the liquid electrolyte. This indicates that SAN does not bond with the liquid electrolyte. Finally, the potential stability window of 19 wt.% SAN, which ranges from −1.68 to 1.38 V, proves its applicability in solar cells.

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Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank the Short Term Grant 6039030, USM-RU-PRGS 8031030, MOSTI for the National Science Fellowship award and the USM Fellowship P-GM 0331 for their financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Nibong Tebal, 14300, Penang, Malaysia

    Wee Ching Tan, Siti Salwa Alias, Ahmad Badri Ismail & Ahmad Azmin Mohamad

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  1. Wee Ching Tan
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  2. Siti Salwa Alias
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  3. Ahmad Badri Ismail
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  4. Ahmad Azmin Mohamad
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Correspondence to Ahmad Azmin Mohamad.

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Tan, W.C., Alias, S.S., Ismail, A.B. et al. Effect of styrene–acrylonitrile content on 0.5 M NaI/0.05 M I2 liquid electrolyte encapsulation for dye-sensitized solar cells. J Solid State Electrochem 16, 2103–2112 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-011-1625-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-011-1625-z

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