A Nano Quasi-Solid Electrolyte With Modified Nano-Clay Applied to Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

The gel electrolytes for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have been reported recently. Such electrolytes have their own liquid electrolyte properties and a quasi-solid electrolyte morphology. In this paper, nano-clay was chosen as gelator and mixed with liquid electrolytes to form clay type nanocomposite gel. This gel electrolyte consists of liquid electrolytes and surface modified nano-clay. The surface modifier makes nano-clay disperse well in liquid electrolytes. Nano-clay mixed with electrolyte will increase its viscosity and it is believed to be helpful in fabricating flexible DSSC. In general, an increase in viscosity will decrease ionic mobility and decrease photovoltaic conversion efficiency. The ionic conductivity was determined by the viscosity of the nano-clay gel with different surface modifiers. The ionic transfer rate of the nano-clay gel electrolyte is controlled by the diffusion and exchange reaction. The clay type gel electrolyte has higher ionic conductivity. Finally, the electrochemistry properties and the DSSC performances for the nano-clay type gel electrolyte have been discussed in this paper. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4001407]