Chemically Crosslinked Copolymer Electrolytes Based on Imidazole for Quasi-Solid State Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

In this study, gel electrolytes based on poly(1-vinyl imidazole-co-elthylene glycol methyl ether acrylate) (P(VIm-co-EGMEA)) as backbone polymer and 1,5-diiodopentane (I(CH2)5I) as crosslinker were used for quasi-solid state dye-sensitized solar cells (QS-DSSCs). Chemically crosslinked gel electrolyte using certain concentration of P(VIm-co-EGMEA) and I(CH2)5I, DSSCs were fabricated and their photovoltaic performances measured by using a Solar Simulator. In order to characterize the electrolytes, resistance of the DSSCs and ionic conductivity of the electrolyte (0.035M of P(VIm-co-EGMEA)) was examined by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) and the nanopore-filled electrolytes into the nanocrystalline TiO2 film were investigated by using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM).