Quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell based on a polymer gel electrolyte with in situ synthesized ionic conductors

A polymer gel electrolyte with in situ synthesized Acac-Py-I2 ionic conductors was prepared for fabricating a quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell (QS-DSSC). The in situ synthesized Acac-Py-I2 ionic conductors show weaker influence on the liquid electrolyte absorbency of the polymer gel electrolyte than that of Acac-Py-I2 ionic conductors dissolved in liquid electrolyte. Owing to the higher liquid electrolyte absorbency, the polymer gel electrolyte with in situ synthesized Acac-Py-I2 ionic conductors shows higher ionic conductivity than that of polymer gel electrolyte with Acac-Py-I2 ionic conductors absorbed from liquid electrolyte. QS-DSSC containing the polymer gel electrolyte with in situ synthesized Acac-Py-I2 ionic conductors shows 3.815% energy conversion efficiency, which is 21.6% higher than that of QS-DSSC containing polymer gel electrolyte with Acac-Py-I2 ionic conductors absorbed from liquid electrolyte.