Preparations and photovoltaic properties of dye-sensitized solar cells using thiophene-based copolymers as polymer electrolytes

The thiophene-based copolymers (poly(3TA-co-3HT)-1 and poly(3TA-co-3HT)-2) as hole conducting materials on the dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were synthesized. In order to increase the solubility and the interface absorption of the copolymers onto nanoporous TiO2 layer in the DSSC device, two different kinds of thiophene monomers were used hexyl and with substituted carboxyl groups. The compositions, structures, and thermal properties of these copolymers were characterized. The photovoltaic performances of the SnO2:F/TiO2/dye/polymer/Pt devices using the thiophene-based copolymers as hole conducting materials were investigated using a solar simulator at AM1.5. These photovoltaic results were compared with SnO2:F/TiO2/dye/polymer/Pt devices using the thiophene-based homopolymer by the effects of the interface adsorption on their substituted groups. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.