Heteropolyacid-impregnated PVDF as a solid polymer electrolyte for dye-sensitized solar cells

Heteropolyacid (HPA)-impregnated polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) with iodine/iodide was prepared as a new polymer electrolyte for bio-mimicking natural photosynthesis. With this new polymer electrolyte, dye-sensitized solar cell was fabricated using N3 dye-adsorbed over TiO2 nanoparticles (photoanode) and conducting carbon cement coated on conducting glass (photocathode). The fabricated cell generates high open circuit voltage (V-OC 426mV) and short circuit current (I-SC 3.90mA) upon illumination with visible light. It is also demonstrated that the polymer electrolytes prevent the back-electron transfer reactions taking place in dye-sensitized hetero-junctions and are highly promising for solar energy conversion to electricity. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.