The characteristics of electrolytes containing novel polymer quaternary ammonium iodide, polysiloxane with quaternary ammonium side groups (PSQAS), were investigated. PSQAS exhibits a single-anionic conductivity and has special advantages over usually used iodides in dye-sensitized solar cells. Electrolytes based on PSQAS exhibited the maximum ambient conductivity (25 degreesC of 4.96 x 10(-3) S cm(-1). The polymer gel electrolyte based on PAN and PSQAS has been employed to fabricate quasi-solid- state dye-sensitized solar cell with an overall conversion efficiency of 2.67% at irradiation of 100 mW cm(-2). (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.