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Enhancing dye-sensitized solar cell performance; optimization of quaternary counterion-based gel polymer electrolyte without changing additives or net-ion composition

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Abstract

A series of novel gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) was developed for quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), to enhance their performance via mixed counterion effect. Here, LiI, CsI, tetrahexylammonium iodide (Hex4NI), and 1-methyl-3-propylimidazolium iodide (MPII) were used as iodide salts for the preparation of this new GPE. The electrolyte series was investigated by varying the molar fractions of LiI and CsI, kee** the molar fractions of Hex4NI and MPII constant. The molar composition of the iodide salts in electrolytes is MPII0.25(Hex4NI)0.8CsI(2-x)LiIx, where x is the variable. The temperature dependence of conductivity showed Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher behavior. The sample with x = 0.72, where LiI to CsI to Hex4NI to MPII molar ratio is 72:48:80:25, which gave 8.42 mS cm−1 at 30 °C, displayed the maximum conductivity at all the temperatures. The dependence of the complex AC conductivity on frequency is examined in detail to study the impacts of dielectric polarization effects of the GPEs. Quasi-solid-state DSSCs were constructed by utilizing six-layered TiO2 photoelectrodes, Pt counter electrode, and the novel GPE series. The three-salt electrolytes, containing LiI only and CsI only, containing DSSC showed efficiencies of 5.72% and 3.53% respectively. The four-salt system, which is composed of LiI to CsI to Hex4NI to MPII with a molar ratio of 96:24:80:25, demonstrated the highest solar cell efficiency of 7.42%, due to the collective contribution of Hex4N+, MPI+, Cs+, and Li+ ions in improving the charge transport in the electrolyte system. This study shows that DSSC performance can greatly be improved by optimizing counterion ratios without changing total ions in the electrolyte.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the technical support from Mr. M.N.D. Ariyarathne.

Funding

University of Peradeniya, Grant 2023-346 and Grant PGIS/2020/05, Thennakoon Mudiyanselage Wijendra Jayalath Bandara.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Postgraduate Institute of Science (PGIS), University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

    T. M. W. J. Bandara, K. M. S. P. Bandara, H. M. N. Wickramasinghe, L. R. A. K. Bandara & Kapila Wijayaratne

  2. Department of Chemical & Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

    N. M. Adassooriya

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  1. T. M. W. J. Bandara
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Highlights

• A quaternary I− salt system is investigated to find highly performing electrolytes for DSSCs.

• Small counterion-based I− salts reduce open-circuit voltage and enhance short-circuit current density.

• Bulky counterion-based I− salts enhance open-circuit voltage and decrease short-circuit current density.

• The use of a mixture of small and bulky cations in electrolytes enhances the solar cell efficiency.

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Bandara, T.M.W.J., Bandara, K.M.S.P., Wickramasinghe, H.M.N. et al. Enhancing dye-sensitized solar cell performance; optimization of quaternary counterion-based gel polymer electrolyte without changing additives or net-ion composition. J Solid State Electrochem (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-024-05993-5

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