Stable, high-efficiency ionic-liquid-based mesoscopic dye-sensitized solar cells.
Efficient and stable mesoscopic dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) introducing a low-viscosity binary ionic liquid (1-propyl-3-methyl-imidazolium iodide (PMII) and 1-ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium tetracyanoborate (EMIB(CN)(4))) electrolyte in combination with a new high-molar-extinction-coefficient ruthenium complex, Ru(2,2'-bipyridine-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid)(4,4'-bis(2-(4-tert-butyloxy -phenyl)ethenyl) -2,2'-bipyridine) (NCS)(2), are demonstrated. The dependence of photovoltaic performance, charge transport and electron lifetime on the composition of the binary ionic-liquid electrolyte with different ratios of PMII/EMIB(CN)(4) were investigated by electrochemical impedance and photovoltage transient techniques. A photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 7.6 % was obtained under simulated full sunlight illumination, which is a record for solvent-free DSCs. These devices exhibit excellent stability at 80 degrees C in the dark or under visible-light soaking at 60 degrees C during 1000 h of accelerated tests.
Kuang
Daibin
D
Laboratory for Photonics and Interfaces, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
Klein
Cedric
C
Zhang
Zhipan
Z
Ito
Seigo
S
Moser
Jacques-E
JE
Zakeeruddin
Shaik M
SM
Grätzel
Michael
M
D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D004058:Diffusion; D017097:Electric Impedance; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000737:chemistry; D004583:Electrons; D007454:Iodides / Q000737:chemistry; D052578:Ionic Liquids / Q000737:chemistry*; D007700:Kinetics; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010666:Phenylpropionates / Q000737:chemistry; D012993:Solar Energy; D013997:Time Factors
D004396:Coloring Agents; D004573:Electrolytes; D007454:Iodides; D052578:Ionic Liquids; C473246:N-methyl piperazine-Phe-homoPhe-vinylsulfone phenyl; D009842:Oligopeptides; D010666:Phenylpropionates; C035253:3-phenylpropionic acid