title: The Effect of the Scattering Layer in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Employing a Cobalt-Based Aqueous Gel Electrolyte.
abstract: We developed an aqueous gel electrolyte based on the [Co(bpy)3](2+/3+) (bpy=2,2'-bipyridine) redox mediator for use in n-type dye-sensitized solar cells. Application of this electrolyte in combination with titania nanoparticle-based photoanodes and mesoporous titania bead scattering layers resulted in devices with efficiencies of 4.1% under simulated AM 1.5 sunlight, compared with 3.5% for devices using scattering layers made from a commercial paste. This difference was largely a result of a 25% improvement in the short-circuit current density and was ascribed to lower diffusion resistance for the gel electrolyte within mesoporous TiO2 beads, as confirmed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Transient photocurrent measurements identified mass-diffusion problems for DSCs employing the commercial TiO2 paste. Moreover, under continuous 1 sun illumination, the devices based on an aqueous gel electrolyte displayed higher stability relative to those assembled with the corresponding liquid electrolyte.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, Monash University, Victoria, 3800, Australia.|State Key Laboratory of Silicate Materials for Architectures, Wuhan University of Technology, Hubei, 430070, China.
authors.forename: Wanchun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.affiliation: PFPC, School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Dehong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: PFPC, School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia.|Manufacturing, Flexible Electronics Theme, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Clayton South,Victoria 3169, Australia.
authors.forename: Rachel A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Caruso
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Monash University, Victoria, 3800, Australia.
authors.forename: Yi-Bing
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Monash University, Victoria, 3800, Australia.|Manufacturing, Flexible Electronics Theme, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Clayton South,Victoria 3169, Australia.|Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication, 151 Wellington Road, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia.
authors.forename: Udo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bach
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, Monash University, Victoria, 3800, Australia. leone.spiccia@monash.edu.
authors.forename: Leone
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Spiccia
mesh_terms: D015082:2,2'-Dipyridyl / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D058266:Dielectric Spectroscopy; D004566:Electrodes; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D005782:Gels; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010777:Photochemistry; D016062:Porosity; D012993:Solar Energy; D013499:Surface Properties; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D004573:Electrolytes; D005782:Gels; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C414957:tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)cobalt(II); C009495:titanium dioxide; D015082:2,2'-Dipyridyl; D014025:Titanium
keywords: cobalt complex; dye-sensitized solar cells; electrolytes; gels; water