Preparation of a novel polymer gel electrolyte based on N-methyl-quinoline iodide and its application in quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell

Using poly(acrylonitrile-co-styrene) as polymer host, 1,2-propanediol carbonate, dimethyl carbonate and ethylene carbonate as mixture solvent, N-methyl-quinoline iodide and iodine as the source of I-/I-3(-), a novel polymer gel electrolyte with ionic conductivity of 5.12 x 10(-3) S (.) cm(-1) at 25 degrees C was prepared by sol-gel and hydrothermal methods. Based on the polymer gel electrolyte, a quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell was fabricated. The solar cell possess better long-term stability and light-to-electrical energy conversion efficiency of 4.04% under irradiation of 100 mW (.) cm(-2). The influences of polymer host, solvent, N-methyl-quinoline iodide and temperature on ionic conductivity of the polymer gel electrolyte and the performance of the dye-sensitized solar cell was discussed.