Enhanced photo-current conversion efficiency by incorporation of succinonitrile in N-Phthaloylchitosan based bio-polymer electrolyte for dye sensitized solar cell

Abstract Succinonitrile as a high dielectric component has been introduced to the N-Phthaloylchitosan (PhCh) based gel polymer electrolyte to enhance its electrical property. Gel electrolytes comprising (PhCh-PEO-TPAI-EC-Iodine-SN) have been prepared by varying 0−10 wt.% Succinonitrile (SN). High dielectric constant and charge mobility of SN resulted in enhanced conductivity value of 1.30 × 10−2 S cm-1 at 2 wt. % as compared to that of 7.84 × 10-3 S cm-1 at 0 wt.% at 25 °C. Relationship between conductivity and temperature of gel electrolyte having additive as SN obeys Arrhenius law. Dielectric studies were also studied to analyse the electrical phenomenon of the gel polymer electrolyte. The highest conductive gel polymer electrolyte was implied in the fabrication of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), which showed an overall efficiency of 4.82% with open circuit voltage, Voc of 0.63 V.