Abstract
Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)–based gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) consisting of plasticizers ethylene carbonate (EC) and propylene carbonate (PC) and different compositions of tetrabutylammonium iodide (TBAI) salt have been investigated. The GPEs have been characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. EIS study shows that the GPE containing 30 wt% TBAI has the lowest bulk impedance, Rb (23 Ω), and highest room temperature ionic conductivity (3.46 × 10−3 S cm−1). Conductivity-temperature relationship in the temperature range studied obeys Arrhenius rule. The Ea value is decreased with TBAI percentage and is the lowest (12.59 kJ/mol) for GPE containing 30 wt% TBAI. From LSV experimental data, the limiting current density (Jlim), apparent diffusion coefficient of triiodide ion (\( {D}_{I_3^{-}}^{\ast } \)), and exchange current density (J0) have been calculated. The highest value for each of these parameters is 5.00 mA cm−2, 6.59 × 10−7 cm2 s−1, and 0.63 mA cm−2, respectively, for the highest conducting GPE. All samples are amorphous. LSV at stainless steel showed that the electrochemical stability window is 2.2 V. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) was performed from 1 to 1000 cycle which showed good electrochemical stability.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Jun HK, Buraidah MH, Noor MM, Kufian MZ, Majid SR, Sahraoui B, Arof AK (2013) Application of LiBOB-based liquid electrolyte in co-sensitized solar cell. Opt Mater (Amst) 36:151–158
Vittadello M, Waxman DI, Sideris PJ, Gan Z, Vezzù K, Negro E, Safari A, Greenbaum SG, Di Noto V. (2011) Iodide-conducting polymer electrolytes based on poly-ethylene glycol and MgI2: Synthesis and structural characterization. Electrochimica acta 57:112–122
Hsu HL, Tien CF, Yang YT, Leu J (2013) Dye-sensitized solar cells based on agarose gel electrolytes using allylimidazolium iodides and environmentally benign solvents. Electrochim Acta 91:208–213
Tiautit N, Puratane C, Panpinit S, Saengsuwan S (2014) Effect of SiO2 and TiO2 nanoparticles on the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells using PVDF-HFP/PVA gel electrolytes. Energy Procedia 56:378–385
Shaafi NF, Muzakir SK, Sahraoui B (2019) A study of the electron regeneration efficiency of solar cells fabricated using CMC/PVA-, alginate-, and xanthan-based electrolytes. Makara J Technol 23:53–58
Bhattacharya B, Tomar SK, Pandey SP, Rhee HW, Singh PK (2012) Porous nanocrystalline TiO2 electrode and poly (N–methyl 4–vinylpyridine iodide): ionic liquid solid polymer electrolyte for device application. Int J Nanotechnol 9:1030–1039
Nogueira AF, Longo C, De Paoli MA (2004) Polymers in dye sensitized solar cells: overview and perspectives. Coord Chem Rev 248:1455–1468
Ren Y, Zhang Z, Fang S, Yang M, Cai S (2002) Application of PEO based gel network polymer electrolytes in dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical cells. Sol Energy Mater Sol Cells 71:253–259
Nogueira VC, Longo C, Nogueira AF, Soto-Oviedo MA, De Paoli M-A (2006) Solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell: improved performance and stability using a plasticized polymer electrolyte. J Photochem Photobiol A Chem 181:226–232
Nogueira AF, De Paoli M-A (2000) A dye sensitized TiO2 photovoltaic cell constructed with an elastomeric electrolyte. Sol Energy Mater Sol Cells 61:135–141
Nogueira AF, Durrant JR, De Paoli MA (2001) Dye-sensitized nanocrystalline solar cells employing a polymer electrolyte. Adv Mater 13:826–830
Benedetti JE, de Paoli MA. & Nogueira AF (2008) Enhancement of photocurrent generation and open circuit voltage in dye-sensitized solar cells using Li+ trapping species in the gel electrolyte. Chem Commun. 9:1121–1123
de Freitas JN, de Souza Gonçalves A, De Paoli M-A, Durrant JR, Nogueira AF (2008) The role of gel electrolyte composition in the kinetics and performance of dye-sensitized solar cells. Electrochim Acta 53:7166–7172
Priya ARS, Subramania A, Jung Y-S, Kim K-J (2008) High-performance quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell based on an electrospun PVdF− HFP membrane electrolyte. Langmuir 24:9816–9819
Chowdhury FI, Buraidah MH, Arof AK, Mellander B-E, Noor IM (2020) Impact of tetrabutylammonium, iodide and triiodide ions conductivity in polyacrylonitrile based electrolyte on DSSC performance. Sol Energy 196:379–388
Buraidah MH, Shah S, Teo LP, Chowdhury FI, Careem MA, Albinsson I, Mellander BE, Arof AK (2017) High efficient dye sensitized solar cells using phthaloylchitosan based gel polymer electrolytes. Electrochim Acta 245:846–853
Hassan HC, Abidin ZHZ, Chowdhury FI, Arof AK (2016) A high efficiency chlorophyll sensitized solar cell with quasi solid PVA based electrolyte. Int J Photoenergy 2016:1–9
Singh VK, Bhattacharya B, Shukla S, Singh PK (2015) New solid-polymer-electrolyte material for dye-sensitized solar cells. Mater Teh 49:123–127
Tan S, Zhai J, Xue B, Wan M, Meng Q, Li Y, Jiang L, Zhu D (2004) Property influence of polyanilines on photovoltaic behaviors of dye-sensitized solar cells. Langmuir 20:2934–2937
Longo C, De Paoli M-A (2003) Dye-sensitized solar cells: a successful combination of materials. J Braz Chem Soc 14:898–901
Nakade S, Kanzaki T, Wada Y, Yanagida S (2005) Stepped light-induced transient measurements of photocurrent and voltage in dye-sensitized solar cells: application for highly viscous electrolyte systems. Langmuir 21:10803–10807
de Freitas JN, Nogueira AF, De Paoli M-A (2009) New insights into dye-sensitized solar cells with polymer electrolytes. J Mater Chem 19:5279–5294
Yun S, Freitas JN, Nogueira AF, Wang Y, Ahmad S, Wang ZS (2016) Dye-sensitized solar cells employing polymers. Prog Polym Sci 59:1–40
Li Q, Chen X, Tang Q, Cai H, Qin Y, He B, Li M, Jin S, Liu Z (2014) Enhanced photovoltaic performances of quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells using a novel conducting gel electrolyte. J Power Sources 248:923–930
Lan Z, Wu J, Lin J, Huang M (2010) Quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell based on a polymer gel electrolyte with in situ synthesized ionic conductors. Comptes Rendus Chim 13:1401–1405
Aziz MF, Noor IM, Sahraoui B, Arof AK (2014) Dye-sensitized solar cells with PVA–KI–EC–PC gel electrolytes. Opt Quant Electron 46:133–141
Khanmirzaei MH, Ramesh S, Ramesh K (2015) Hydroxypropyl cellulose based non-volatile gel polymer electrolytes for dye-sensitized solar cell applications using 1-methyl-3-propylimidazolium iodide ionic liquid. Sci Rep 5:18056
Hu P, Chai J, Duan Y, Liu Z, Cui G, Chen L (2016) Progress in nitrile-based polymer electrolytes for high performance lithium batteries. J Mater Chem A 4:10070–10083
Arof AK, Jun HK, Sim LN, Kufian MZ, Sahraoui B (2013) Gel polymer electrolyte based on LiBOB and PAN for the application in dye-sensitized solar cells. Opt Mater (Amst) 36:135–139
Pelet S, Moser J-E, Grätzel M (2000) Cooperative effect of adsorbed cations and iodide on the interception of back electron transfer in the dye sensitization of nanocrystalline TiO2. J Phys Chem B 104:1791–1795
Olson CL (2006) Influence of cation on charge recombination in dye-sensitized TiO2 electrodes. J Phys Chem B 110:9619–9626
Bandara TM, Svensson T, Dissanayake MA, Furlani M, Jayasundara WJ, Fernando PS, Albinsson I, Mellander BE (2013) Conductivity behaviour in novel quasi-solid-state electrolyte based on polyacrylonitrile and tetrahexylammonium iodide intended for dye sensitized solar cells. J Natl Sci Found Sri Lanka 41(3):175–184
Ileperuma OA, Dissanayake M, Somasunderam S, Bandara L (2004) Photoelectrochemical solar cells with polyacrylonitrile-based and polyethylene oxide-based polymer electrolytes. Sol Energy Mater Sol Cells 84:117–124
Ileperuma OA, Dissanayake M, Somasundaram S (2002) Dye-sensitised photoelectrochemical solar cells with polyacrylonitrile based solid polymer electrolytes. Electrochim Acta 47:2801–2807
Dissanayake MA, Bandara LR, Bokalawala RS, Jayathilaka PA, Ileperuma OA, Somasundaram S (2002) A novel gel polymer electrolyte based on polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and its application in a solar cell. Mater Res Bull 37:867–874
Bandara TMWJ, Ekanayake P, Dissanayake MAKL, Albinsson I, Mellander B-E (2010) A polymer electrolyte containing ionic liquid for possible applications in photoelectrochemical solar cells. J Solid State Electrochem 14:1221–1226
Yun S, Lund PD, Hinsch A (2015) Stability assessment of alternative platinum free counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells. Energy Environ Sci 8:3495–3514
Kontos AG, Stergiopoulos T, Likodimos V, Milliken D, Desilvesto H, Tulloch G, Falaras P (2013) Long-term thermal stability of liquid dye solar cells. J Phys Chem C 117:8636–8646
Yun S, Pu H, Chen J, Hagfeldt A, Ma T (2014) Enhanced performance of supported HfO2 counter electrodes for redox couples used in dye-sensitized solar cells. ChemSusChem 7:442–450
Yun S, Zhang H, Pu H, Chen J, Hagfeldt A, Ma T (2013) Metal oxide/carbide/carbon nanocomposites: in situ synthesis, characterization, calculation, and their application as an efficient counter electrode catalyst for dye-sensitized solar cells. Adv Energy Mater 3:1407–1412
Wen T-C, Kuo H-H, Gopalan A (2002) The influence of lithium ions on molecular interaction and conductivity of composite electrolyte consisting of TPU and PAN. Solid State Ionics 147:171–180
Kontos AG, Fardis M, Prodromidis MI, Stergiopoulos T, Chatzivasiloglou E, Papavassiliou G, Falaras P (2006) Morphology, ionic diffusion and applicability of novel polymer gel electrolytes with LiI/I2. Phys Chem Chem Phys 8:767–776
Wu M, Lin X, Wang Y, Wang L, Guo W, Qi D, Peng X, Hagfeldt A, Grätzel M, Ma T (2012) Economical Pt-free catalysts for counter electrodes of dye-sensitized solar cells. J Am Chem Soc 134:3419–3428
Kim C, Lee G, Liou K, Ryu KS, Kang SG, Chang SH (1999) Polymer electrolytes prepared by polymerizing mixtures of polymerizable PEO-oligomers, copolymer of PVDC and poly(acrylonitrile), and lithium triflate. Solid State Ionics 123:251–257
Mahendran O, Rajendran S (2003) Ionic conductivity studies in PMMA/PVdF polymer blend electrolyte with lithium salts. Ionics (Kiel) 9:282–288
Ramesh S, Ang GP (2010) Impedance and FTIR studies on plasticized PMMA–LiN (CF3SO2)2 nanocomposite polymer electrolytes. Ionics (Kiel) 16:465–473
Ali AMM, Yahya MZA, Bahron H, Subban RHY (2006) Electrochemical studies on polymer electrolytes based on poly (methyl methacrylate)-grafted natural rubber for lithium polymer battery. Ionics (Kiel) 12:303–307
Su’ait MS, Ahmad A, Rahman MYA (2009) Ionic conductivity studies of 49% poly (methyl methacrylate)-grafted natural rubber-based solid polymer electrolytes. Ionics (Kiel) 15:497–500
Papageorgiou N (1996) The performance and stability of ambient temperature molten salts for solar cell applications. J Electrochem Soc 143:3099
Aikens DA (1983) Electrochemical methods, fundamentals and applications. J Chem Educ 60:A25
Tai Q, Zhao X-Z (2014) Pt-free transparent counter electrodes for cost-effective bifacial dye-sensitized solar cells. J Mater Chem A 2:13207–13218
Yun S, Hagfeldt A, Ma T (2014) Pt-free counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells with high efficiency. Adv Mater 26:6210–6237
Listorti A, O’Regan B, Durrant JR (2011) Electron transfer dynamics in dye-sensitized solar cells. Chem Mater 23:3381–3399
Park CH, Kim DW, Prakash J, Sun Y-K (2003) Electrochemical stability and conductivity enhancement of composite polymer electrolytes. Solid State Ionics 159:111–119
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chowdhury, F.I., Khalil, I., Khandaker, M.U. et al. Electrochemical and structural characterization of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)–based gel polymer electrolytes blended with tetrabutylammonium iodide for possible application in dye-sensitized solar cells. Ionics 26, 4737–4746 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11581-020-03612-7
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11581-020-03612-7