Co-existence of LiI and KI in filler-free, quasi-solid-state electrolyte for efficient and stable dye-sensitized solar cell

Abstract

A quasi-solid-state electrolyte employing a poly (ethylene oxide)/LiI system without a filler is evaluated. The electrolyte is optimized for various potassium iodide (KI) concentrations. The electrolyte containing 14.5 wt.% KI exhibits the highest conductivity (3.0 × 10-3 S cm -1). An efficiency of 4.5% is achieved using this composition of the electrolyte. It is shown that the introduction of KI in a conventional PEO/I2/LiI electrolyte system prevents the crystallization of the polymer matrix and enhances the ionic conductivity. The energy conversion efficiency of the device is further enhanced to 5.8% by incorporating a light-scattering layer. © 2010 Elsevier B.V.