A low-cost quasi-solid DSSC assembled with PVDF-based gel electrolyte plasticized by PC–EC & electrodeposited Pt counter electrode

• We reported a simple and low-cost gel electrolyte—PVDF-based gel electrolyte plasticized by PC–EC.
• PVDF-based gel electrolyte plasticized by PC–EC has high conductivity and low migration or diffusion impedance of iodide ions due to its loose structure and many interpenetrating holes.
• Electrodeposited Pt electrode exhibits low charge-transfer resistance and provides good contact with gel electrolyte.
• A low-cost quasi-solid dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) with a photoelectric conversion efficiency of 1.79% was assembled using PVDF-based gel electrolyte plasticized by PC–EC and electrodeposited Pt counter electrodes.

A low-cost quasi-solid dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) with a photoelectric conversion efficiency of 1.79% was assembled using PVDF-based gel electrolyte plasticized by PC–EC and electrodeposited Pt counter electrodes. Its morphology, chemical structure, electrochemical and photoelectric properties were examined by SEM, FTIR, EIS and I–V tests, respectively. The results showed that PC–EC plasticized gel electrolyte can greatly prevent the α-phase formation of PVDF, and had the loose structure & many interpenetrating holes due to the effective intercalation of PC & EC into PVDF chains through their dipole interaction. It made the migration or diffusion of iodide ions to electrodes easier. Furthermore, its conductivity was increased to 2.34 mS/cm from 1.00 mS/cm of unplasticized gel electrolyte. Voc, Jsc, FF & η values of DSSC plasticized by PC–EC were all enhanced. Compared with Pt electrode obtained by thermal decomposition, electrodeposited Pt electrode had the lower charge-transfer resistance and the better contact with gel electrolyte in quasi-solid DSSC due to its orderly grain arrangement, more even, denser and larger active surface. Meanwhile, its process also had little influence on ITO sheet resistance. Thus, its quasi-solid DSSC has the higher photoelectric conversion efficiency.