An alternative alkylpyridinium iodide with high electroactivity for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells

Alkyl-substituted pyridinium iodide has been applied as alternative iodide source in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs), featuring impressively high diffusivity and electroactivity. Encouraging energy conversion efficiency up to 8.23% was achieved, implying that this alkylpyridinium iodide serves as an effective alternative iodide source for DSCs. The intensity-modulated photocurrent/photovoltage spectroscopy measurements further indicated that the electron diffusion coefficient was considerably enhanced in device with pyridinium iodide electrolyte in comparison with that of the conventional imidazolium iodide, which was primarily due to a more shallow distribution of the surface trap states after the adsorption of pyridinium cations on the TiO2 electrode surface.

Research Highlights
► Alternative efficient alkylpyridinium iodide in dye-sensitiezed solar cells.
► High ionic conductivity and electroactivity.
► Overall energy conversion efficiency up to 8.23%.
► Enhanced electron diffusion coefficient and charge collection efficiency.